The Art of Belonging
by DrakeRise
Summary: Finding somewhere you feel like you belong is hard. Especially for an outcast like me. I don't even fit in with my own family. I had no idea where i was going with my life. Until I end up thrown into Sylvarant. Perhaps in this world inhabited by monsters, elves and spirits, I might find somewhere I could call my home, somewhere I belong. I can only hope. self-insert. Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

Thank you to Elisa1020 for asking to see more, i now bring you the first chapter of 'The Art Of Belonging'. This is only the prologue, don't ask why i wrote this at all let alone in in this style. i have no idea. honestly. The rest of the chapters will be longer than this, it's only 1331 words which is pathetic to me really. 5,000 minimum usually.

anyway, I have no Beta so any mistakes are my own.

I own nothing, don't sue me.

**The Art Of Belonging**

**Prologue**

My story, my dear readers, starts not at the beginning, but at the end. For it is only once my adventure has finished that I have the whole story to tell you. I came back into this world in a similar way to how I left, yet at the same time it was completely different.

Allow me to tell you my tale, a tale of friendship, adventure, action and tragedy. I tale of a story you all know well, but yet, know nothing about. My story is one of hellos and goodbyes and a goodbye far more painful than any other I have ever said.

There will be points where you may not wish to read further but I beg of you, dear reader, to stay with me for the whole story, from end to end with all of the in between.

There will be parts that may make you laugh or smile, and parts that may make you cry. I, myself, shed more than a single tear on this journey. It has changed me, maybe not for the better, but certainly not for the worst.

It taught me the art of belonging. Which is something I must now learn again as I once more find myself in this world and tell my tale to you in the hopes of understanding my past and being able to move on to the future.

My tale begins in England, my home and native land, in an area I am not familiar with as I find myself thrown back into this world with no clear destination.

* * *

The first thing I was aware of was crashing. Like someone kicking a door in. After each crash someone shouted 'Clear!' What was going on? The floor beneath me was cold and hard. Where was I? What had happened? Oh, I remember, I helped Lloyd and the others reunite the two worlds and got sent back to earth.

Saying goodbye was harder than I thought it would be.

There was a crash much closer than the rest. "Shit! I GOT A BODY IN HERE!" the footsteps came closer. A hand on my neck. "SHIT! SOMEONE RADIO FOR AN AMBULANCE!" He slid my bag off me and turned me over, somehow managing to do so without taking off my swords. "Hey, kid. Can you hear me?"

I blinked without opening my eyes.

"Good, good. Alright, we're going to get you to a hospital okay?" blink. "Alright lad, you just stay awake for me okay? stay with me. I need to put some pressure on these wounds okay?"

I took a deep breath and forced myself to open my eyes. The room was dark, the only source of illumination being the torch on the man's... was that a gun? He has a gun.

I took a few more breaths and found myself waking up more by the second. The man was pressing down on some wounds on my chest. The slight blush on his face indicated he now realised I am not a lad. I tried to get a better look at him but moving hurt.

"Easy, lass. Easy. The name's Steve Mathews. What's yours?"

I smirked up at him. "I go by Drake Rise, though you won't find me under it..." I smiled sadly and told him my real name.

Steve looked surprised. "Really? Aren't you one of those people who disappeared a few years ago?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm the only survivor though."

The man looked down. "Oh. I'm sorry."

I laughed dryly. "You've done nothing to apologise for, don't worry."

He nodded and we sat in awkward silence for a while before two people came into the room. A man and a lady, each wearing a hi-viz jacket. Steve moved to the side and the lady knelt down next to me. "Ya'll right there lad? Can ya hear me?"

I nodded. "Yes, I hear you fine."

The lady nodded. "Alright, I'm gonna take a look at those wounds alright? This might hurt a bit." She unbuttoned my clothes and moved them to the side so she could see my chest. "Oh, sorry lass. Let's look at these injuries. Oh, they look deep."

I nodded. "Getting stabbed tends to leave deep wounds." I looked around a bit. The room looked like something you would see in a horror movie or a room where victims are held captive in cop shows. Man I hope I'm not in a T.V. show.

The lady looked at me. "You were stabbed? Do you know who did it?"

I nodded. "Yeah. He's dead now. My friends didn't take too kindly to him trying to run me through." Poor Mithos never stood chance against Lloyd. I glanced down at my injuries but groaned when I realised those annoying lady lumps of mine were in the way. _Again_. Stupid lumps. I twisted one of my arms around and managed to manoeuvre it under my head. There, now I could see over them. Wow, they looked bad. They were half healed by the end of the battle from all the various healing artes being thrown around I don't know who healed each one, probably a group effort but now, most of them were open again and a few looked worse than when I first got them.

The lady seems slightly shocked. "Well..."

I sighed and told her my name. "Trust me. I've been killing in self defence for a long time. It was the only way to survive."

The lady sighed and looked my injuries over. "Well, we are going to need to get you to the hospital as quick as we can. We need to get these seen to." She and her partner manoeuvred me onto a stretcher and took me out to the ambulance. The Police officer rode in the back with me and the male paramedic while the woman drove. The two of them pressed down on my many wounds. Luckily the officer had brought my bag.

I sighed and pushed them off for a moment before removing my sword belt. I handed it to the officer and he put it next to my bag. "If anything happens to those swords I will make whoever is responsible _wish_ I had killed them."

Steve nodded and went back to compressing my wounds.

Several hours later I was sitting in a hospital bed, fully stitched up and staring down the police officer as he tried to question me. I could hardly tell him I had been in a video game could I?

My family came in not long after and after much hugging and cries they eventually settled down. Now the officer wanted me to tell me where he was and my family was backing him up. I sighed. I told them I don't know how we got to where we ended up. I told them someone experimented on us for a while before sending us to a modern concentration camp.

I refused to go into detail, telling them it was too fresh.

I was kept in the hospital for a few weeks before I was allowed out and even then I was signed up to physical therapy for my wounds. Had I been back on Iselia it would have been a few healing artes and I would be fine but here, I had to heal naturally.

I sat in front of my laptop one night, a few weeks after i came home. I opened up a word document. I needed to tell someone, even if you would never believe me.

* * *

And this is where my story takes you back, dear readers. To where i am right now, writing this story to you. I take you back in time to the part you are interested in. When I went to Sylvarant, when I met with Lloyd, when we went on the journey. All of that is in the story, dear readers, but there is more to it than that.

Allow me to tell you my tale.


	2. Chapter 2

I sighed as I sat down in the corner back seat of the bus. I had been so busy today. First I had gone ice skating with my mum then I went disco rollerblading with my sister, then I remembered I had to buy a few items of clothing which shall go unmentioned so my sister went home and I went shopping with my ice skates and rollerblades in my bag, along with my first aid kit. (If I'm going ice skating and then rollerblading I am going to bring something for when I undoubtedly injure myself. Weirdly enough, I didn't.)

I had bought what I needed as well as some cool socks, something else which shall go unmentioned and two new wigs. One was a long brown one the same colour as my hair and the other was short, spiky and red! It looked a lot like Kratos' hair.

I look around at the other people on the bus as it starts moving. There was a young man sitting in front of me, a middle aged woman on the other back corner seat, a young couple with a small girl diagonally in front of me, an elderly couple near the front and three men and one woman sitting in the middle of the bus, they were older than their prime but not old.

I sighed and looked out the window. I frowned. This wasn't the normal rout. The driver turned around. "Sorry everyone. It looks like I took a wrong turn somehow. I don't know how, I haven't made any turns yet. I'll see if I can get us back on rout."

He kept driving but everything around us soon turned into thick vegetation, there wasn't even a road anymore.

This place was nowhere near where we started.

Suddenly there was a bright light and the sensation of falling. I saw the ground coming and dived on the little girl. I held onto the bottom of the seats and held her down over them both just as the bus hit the ground. I heard everyone scream and I felt the both of us lift up slightly but I held strong. There was several thuds and then silence. I stood up and looked the girl over. "Are you ok?" I asked gently, when she nodded I turned to her parents. Her mother was fine but her dad had been next to the window so he had some glass shards in his face, it didn't look too serious.

I stand up taller and look around the bus. "Is everyone alright? Is anyone injured?"

Two other people had glass damage but the driver was in a bad way. I carefully step over to him and gently examined him. Not as bad as it looked. I opened the door and undid his seat belt and removed some of the broken bits of metal and plastic from him. "Can someone bring my rucksack over? It's in the back corner." The man from in front of me did so and I pulled out my first aid kit. "It's not much but it will have to do." Just as I am about to start tending his injuries I hear something behind me and turn around.

Oh, god no.

I would recognise that uniform anywhere.

Desians.

Oh, shit. Oh shit. Oh shit.

"Stay here." I tell everyone. I picked up my rucksack by the handle, took a deep breath and step out of the completely broken door. I pick up a broken bit of door as I went past. This will have to do.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?"

Three of them, all male. One had a sword at his hip, large, bulky, bigger arms than legs. Swordsman, relies on brute strength, less on agility and speed.

"Some humans in a metal contraption."

One had a cross bow. Tall light build, skinny. Archer; relies on speed, agile, not so good at hand to hand.

"What do you think we should do with them?"

Last one, no visible weapon. Robes. Short, stat, not one for speed, agility or strength. Mage, long range, no physical strength.

"Let's take them to the ranch."

I frown and take a step closer. "If you want them, you will have to go though me." I was honestly surprised that my voice didn't give away just how terrified I was. What the hell was I doing?!

"Aw, little boy thinks he's tough does he?"

I snapped. I lunged the few steps between us and swung my bag at the swordsman's head. Did I forget to mention that my ice skates and my rollerblades where in there? Yeah, that thing weighed a _**lot**__**!**_ It was heavy. He spun around and his helmet made a satisfying sound. I dropped the metal bit of door I had and pulled his sword out of his sheath. I spun on my foot and took a swipe at the archer, who was standing next to the swordsman at the time. Unfortunately I had misjudged the distance and his height. The sword went right into his neck. I heard a sickening squelch and nearly gagged.

I pulled the sword out of his neck and lunged at the mage who was fumbling with some kind of sash or scroll. I got him in the neck too, though I have no idea how. I turned around and looked at the swordsman. He was groaning and half his helmet was cleaved in. I took a deep breath and stabbed him in the neck. It was kinder than letting him suffer with the head wound he must have under that helmet. I stabbed the sword into the ground and started searching through their pockets.

Ah ha! Some bottles and some gummy things I assumed where gels.

I went back to the bus driver and looked his wounds over again.

"You-You just killed those people!" Someone said. I was too preoccupied with the driver's wounds to care who.

"You heard of the Nazis? Those guys are just like them, concentration camps an all. Difference? They don't target Jews, they target everyone. Trust me when I say you do not want to get captured by them." I picked up a gel and sniffed it. Lemon, excellent. I rubbed it into his wounds and watched as they healed before my eyes. I made him eat one after I was done, just to make sure there was no internal damage.

I then handed out gels to everyone else and made sure no one else was injured. I sighed. "We're not safe here. I know where we can find a safe refuge. Give me a minute to gather everything up. Take all your belongings with you off the bus, we can't leave them here." I step off the bus and move back over to the Desians. I look back over my loot. There were some gold coins which I assumed were gald. Why would they have gald on them? Huh. There was some kind of bag the mage had. Upon closer inspection I discovered it to be a lot bigger on the inside. The swordsman also had a thin metal thing that resembled the tin I have in my rucksack for things I use during my 'Dragon weak' as my sister referred it to as once.

Ironic since my name is Drake.

I discovered this was a wing pack. Unusual to have one in Sylvarant. I packed my things in this and stared at the bus for a moment. "Do you all have everything you brought with you?" They all nodded and held up several bags. I winced at the amount of earth tech we were bringing with us but it couldn't be helped. I raised the wing pack and stored the bus in it. I chose to ignore their stunned faces for a while until we were somewhere safer and I was better able to explain. There were small bits of debris of the floor but none of them looked like they could be useful to the Desians.

I put the wingpack in my rucksack. I then undo the belt from the swordsman and fasten it to myself. I tied the bag I took from the mage to one side and sheath the sword on the other. I looked at the back of the swordsman's hands. There, Exsphere. I take a deep breath and pull. The Key Crest takes a bit of pulling but I eventually get it off. I wiped it clean on his shirt and attached it to the back of my hand. I put the Key Crest on first. I'm not that dumb.

Ow. It felt like it was drilling into the back of my hand and I got the feeling it was not coming off any time soon. I place the Exsphere in the Key Crest and wince at the feeling. I then got a sudden adrenalin rush.

I stood up carefully and looked around. Let me see. The Desians came from that way and the sun is in the same direction. If it was the same time as when we left that would mean the Desians came from the west.

I look at the uniforms again. Purple. Asguard. We were near Kvar's ranch. "Oh, Sugary Fudge Sticks."

"What?" Someone asked.

"The uniform. It's purple. These people are called Desians. The purple uniform is the Asguard ranch." I explain.

"What is so bad about that one?" Someone asked.

"The leader of the Asguard ranch is a man named Kvar. He is as sadistic as they come. He loves to watch people put through torturous experiments. He loves to hear them scream. We really, really do not want to be here. Come, we need to head this way, to Luin. From there we can restock on supplies and get to Asguard. It's safer."

Everyone nodded and we set out. I had to take care of a few forest creatures that got too curious and we were lucky not to run into any more Desians. When it got dark we stopped for the night. There was nothing to eat so we would have to go hungry. No problem for me, I rarely eat anyway.

I sigh and turn to everyone. I begin to explain to them about how we are not on earth anymore. They don't believe me but have no choice once I point out the unexplained rout the bus took despite the driver not taking a wrong turn, then the bright light and falling. I also managed to use a demon fang against a tree and they were forced to admit that I was right. (please don't ask how I was able to do that because I have no idea.)

I explained as much about Sylvarant as I could, omitting the separated worlds and the true purpose of Cruxis and the Desians. I kept everything to what knowledge you have at the beginning of the game, before you meet Sheena.

When I was finished everyone was silent, taking in what they had heard.

I hear the girl sniffing and walk over and crouch down in front of her. "Hey, what's the matter?" I tilt my head.

She sniffed. "I'm scared."

I smile and tilt her head up to look at me. "Hey, don't worry. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. I promise. And I never go back on my word. I'll protect you and your mum and dad too."

"Promise?"

"Pinkie promise." I held out my little finger and she wrapped hers around mine. I shook our hands like that and she giggled.

I stood guard by them that night. I watched over them. I also investigated the air. There was something in it. I realised after a second that this was mana. I knew I couldn't feel it like a half-elf or an elf would but since I came from a world with no mana it made sense that I could sense something that was not there my whole life.

I experimented with it. I found that I could gather up the mana from the environment around me. I focused on it and tried to see if I could pull up different elements in the mana. There was a lot of mana with a 'light' feeling to it, considering how close we were to the tower of mana that was hardly surprising.

I tried to find any way possible to distract myself from thinking about what happened that morning/yesterday. These people needed me to be strong until we got to Luin. I could not allow myself to think about it. I could not allow it to affect me.

That was affecting me more than the fact that I was in Tales of Symphonia. I had read my fair share of self inserts so I knew I could just ask Origin to send me home... probably. If I met the wonder chef at any time I could ask him. That guy is some kind of inter-dimensional, omniscient being wasn't he?

I woke my group up near morning. We set out early and made it out of the forest within a few minutes. I paused and looked around. The sky was slightly lighter along the horizon to my left which would be east. Luin must be to the south west... I think... well, I knew which direction it was in I just didn't know via the compass. I have always been terrible with a compass but I could find anywhere by reading a map. I angled us that way and we set off across the field. We had to stop frequently because of the little girl. I could tell some of the older ones were also getting tired. I look to the west and see a group of people.

I hold my breath when I realised they were heading towards us. I pull out my sword and get ready. It was weird that they should be coming from the west. The ranch was north of us now. I sigh in relief when I realise none of them are in a Desian uniform. Two of them were in white, most likely priest uniforms.

I put my sword away and wait for them to get closer. As they get closer I can make out two priests and two people with swords, mercenaries?

When they get closer I wave one arm in the air and hail them over. They have provisions. Thank god.

"Are you all alright?" one of the mercenaries asked when they got close enough not to have to shout.

I nod. "Mostly, we have no provisions. We only just managed to escape from some Desian scouts. Can you tell us, which way to Luin?"

The mercenaries looked at each other and shared a look before looking to the priests. The priests gave us some of their provisions and looked us over. None of us were wounded thanks to my stolen gels.

The priests then offered to take us back to Luin with them. Apparently they had gone out to research the tower of mana and had spotted us on the way back. I accepted their offer with the socially expected amount of reluctance and gratitude and we got a guide back to Luin. When we arrived I looked over my group. They were shocked by what they saw. I had explained about Sylvarant being behind the times but I don't think they were expecting this.

I sigh. This was going to be hard.

When we got to Luin we were shown rooms at the inn. I was annoyed I had to explain I was a girl. After everyone had gone to bed I snuck out and crept out of the city. I then collapsed onto my hands and knees and threw up. I flinched when I felt a hand on my back. After a moment I had nothing left to throw up so I just clung to the soldier who had followed me out and cried.

When I had calmed down I apologised to him and explained about what had happened. My first, second and third kill. He held me close that night and told me different ways I could deal with it. I listened and eventually fell asleep in his arms. I woke up in my room at the inn a few hours later.

I never did find out who that soldier was.

There were still a few hours until sunrise so I sat on the bed and thought things through. So, I was in Tales of Symphonia. I had taken a bunch of other people with me. If I had a guide they would most definitely tell me to not die and that I could not interfere with the course of history. We would have to wait at least until the end of the game when the worlds were reunited before we could go home.

The next morning we all got some new clothes so we could fit in easier. I ended up wearing boy's clothes since I would not be caught dead in a dress. All I needed was a thick body warmer to hide my chest and I could easily pass off as a fifteen year old boy. I have done so many times before.

I ended up wearing black boots that reached half way up my calf. I had dark brown trousers that tucked into them. I was wearing a black shirt and over that I had a royal blue and black body warmer which was bulky enough to disguise my boobs. I had black fingerless gloves on to cover up my Exsphere. I wasn't ready to face that just yet.

We stayed in Luin for a little while. I earned some money to pay for our room at the inn by working in the docks. Since I had an Exsphere I was able to lift and carry things, that usually took two or more men, by myself. I really sped up loading and unloading. Some of the others chipped in for the room too. The woman who was sitting at the back with me (Sara) turned out to be an excellent baker and worked with the village bakeries. She taught them loads of recipes and earned a good sum from that. The mother (Joanne) of the little girl (Mary-Anne) worked in a nursery school and brought the idea of a crèche to Luin. There was a spare building in the shopping district which was renovated and turned into a crèche.

The women of Luin now had somewhere to leave their young children while they shop, this also gave several women around the village a job since they knew how to look after kids and where able to work there easily.

When I wasn't working at the docks I was training with the town guard. I have amazingly good muscle memory and picked up physical things easily. I picked up sword fighting really easily.

I found that the Desian broadsword I had was too heavy and after a bit of testing and measuring the blacksmith disappeared for a day. When he came back he had three swords for me. They looked almost Japanese in make. I found them really easy to use. I usually used the shortest one as a shield while I used the middle length blade. I used the longest when I was fighting the only soldier on the village who uses a spear. I was able to get in closer and avoid the spear head. Since it was so long I ended up having to use both hands for it so I couldn't use the short one with it.

Two months after we arrived I gathered my group up in one of the rooms we had at the inn.

I sighed. "So, we have been here for two months. I was not planning on us staying this long. Do you all still wish to go to Asguard?" I looked up each of them. Somehow I had been elected leader. This was weird for me because I am not normally a leader. I don't like leading and I am much more happy sitting at the back, doing what I'm told and not interacting with anyone.

The group was me, Barry (the young man sitting in front of me), Sara (the woman sitting across from me at the back) Joanne (The mother), Steve (The father), Mary-Anne (The little girl), Alison (The elderly woman), Stephen (The elderly man), Jake (One of the two men), Scot (One of the other man and Jake's brother), Simon (The third man), Lucy (The other woman) and Gary (the bus driver).

Gary looked thoughtful. "You said it was safer than Luin?"

I nod. "I think it is. It is further away from the ranches, Kvar usually comes here, I think. There is also Hima. It is further around to the West. I don't think the Desians bother it much since it is so small. That could either work in your favour or against it, less people to choose from if they do turn up."

In the end, Joanne, Steve, Mary-Anne, Sara, Alison and Stephen decided to stay in Luin. So I would be taking Barry, Jake, Scot, Simon, Lucy and Gary to Asguard. We stocked up and left the next morning. I was reluctant to leave them behind as this meant that they would be there when the Desians attack the city. I had grown fond of them, despite my phobia of people.

The trek to Asguard was uneventful. There were a few monster attacks but nothing too serious. We got there in good time and we still had most of our supplies left over. When we got to Asguard we looked at each of the inns. The cheapest one was the only one we could afford. Within a few days Gary the bus driver had got a job with the dragon cart driver, Lucy got a job as the mayor's maid (with board and lodgings), Simon took an internship with the village blacksmith, Jake got a job at the item shop and Scot got a job at the food store.

Barry was a surprise. He moved in with Harley (the only half-elf in the city) and started working with him on research. Apparently he had always found architecture to be fascinating. He didn't seem to care at all when he was told that Harley was a half-elf. 'He's not like the Desians we met before. I trust him.'

I managed to steal a pass from a guy selling them for obscene prices and made my way over Hakonesia Peak. I hate mountains. I really hate mountains. I had no trouble getting past Koton. I made it to the house of salvation and from there to Palmacosta with surprisingly little issue.

With what money I had I was able to buy some more supplies. I then asked around about boats. I wanted to get to Iselia and if I could avoid Triet all the better. I burned very easily. I was so pale I gave the term 'white' a new definition. I do not do well with extreme heat. Not as bad as my brother but still bad.

Cold was worse so I was hoping that being so close to a desert made Iselia warmer during the winter than I was used to. I was also hoping I could avoid Flanoir all together. I have serious trouble regulating my own body temperature.

I found out that no passenger ships went from Palmacosta to Iselia but there was a cargo ship due to depart. I helped with loading the boat and offered to work in exchange for passage. I was told to get a mop and start cleaning.

The men on the ship were surprised when they found out I was a girl. They had been curious as to why I had requested my own room. One of them walked in on me getting dressed. It got very awkward for a little bit and the one who walked in on me would not stop blushing every time he saw me. I honestly didn't care. I have no sense of decency.

We were half way there when the weather took a turn for the worst. Dark clouds covered the sky, the wind picked up and the sea became more violent. I quickly packed up all my stuff and put my bag on, just in case. We were almost at Iselia when the storm really hit. I can't remember much. There was a lot of sliding around on deck, desperately trying to protect the ship. I lowered the mainsail myself since I had an Exsphere and was much stronger than I looked.

I sucked in a breath as a wave reached up above us, the ship turned sideways and the wave crashed over the top of us. I felt something hit my side and I grabbed onto it. I then surfaced from the sea and realised I was holding a bit of wood. I stayed holding onto that wood for as long as I could. The sea threw me about and I kept getting sent under.

I was running out of strength. I hadn't heard anyone else shouting out for a while.

I was sent under and accidentally let go of the wood. I tried to swim upwards but I was too tired. It was actually quite peaceful down here. I couldn't hear the storm, I couldn't feel the waves, it was very calming.

I sighed and closed my eyes. This wasn't so bad.


	3. Chapter 3

I drifted into awareness slowly. My head was pounding, my throat felt dry, my chest hurt... everything hurt...

Crap, I wasn't breathing.

I felt something push down on my chest and heard a crack, which was followed by searing pain. "Damn, broke another rib." There was a deep boy's voice above me.

I coughed hard and felt something come out of my mouth. Eww, salt water. I coughed and spluttered and a pair of hands rolled me onto my side. After a little while I was able to get my breathing back under control. I felt myself being rolled onto my back and someone pressing around my chest. Ow. OW! Snap. Pop. Pop. OWOWOWOWOWOWOOWWWWW!

"There. All yours professor." That boy. He realigned my ribs. Ow. Thank you, I really appreciate it but right now, I hate you so much.

A woman's voice. "Oh healing power... First aid."

I felt something warm wash over me and I sighed in relief as the pain lessened and I was able to breathe a little better. My ribs ached a lot though. I blinked open my eyes and turned my head so I was not looking at the bright sky. Ow... light.

"Are you ok?" A young boy. Really young.

"I hope he's ok." A girl.

"He'll be fine. He just needs a moment to gather himself." The woman again.

I looked in the other direction and squinted at them. Damn, where were my glasses? Oh yeah, in my wing pack. Never mind, I wasn't that blind without them. I slowly managed to open my eyes and pushed myself up, someone helped me most of the way. Oh, I hurt so bad.

I looked at them properly. Lloyd, Genis, Colette and Raine were kneeling on the sand next to me. Ah, so I made it to Iselia. I bow my head in thanks and signed 'thank you', not yet trusting my voice. I don't know much sign language but I learned a bit both from my job as a childminder and because my dad is mostly deaf.

"Are you alright?" Raine asked. Huh. Her hair was actually silver. Shiny. In the game it looked greyish white and whenever people write fanfics about her, her hair is always gray. Here though, it is a metallic silver that is reflecting the light.

"Sore... tired..." I panted. I was breathing a little heavier than normal after not breathing because I nearly drowned.

"Good. I thought we might have been too late." Genis looked down at the ground. His hair was silver too. Sparkle sparkle.

Lloyd sneezed and I glanced at him. I then noticed that he was soaking wet and my equally waterlogged bag was resting at his feet. Did Lloyd...?

I bow my head slightly. "Fank oo..." Oh wow that didn't come out the way I wanted it to.

Raine smiled. "It is really Lloyd you have to thank. He was the one who saw you out there and swam out to get you."

I smile. I turn to Lloyd and smile up at him. "Fank oo... be dea' now... owe my life..." Nope, still can't talk.

Lloyd inclined his head towards me. His eyes were a cool slightly brown shade of red. "Dwarven vow number 2. Never abandon someone in need. I was happy to help. You don't owe me anything."

I coughed weakly. "Still, Fank you." I stare at him for a moment. I blink. He blinked back. "You ha... coo eyes. I nev met... 'n'one wiv... red eyes 'fore." Holy hell in a hand basket how long was it going to be before I could talk properly?

He blinked and suddenly that innocent, happy-go-lucky expression was gone from his face. His eyes turned dark and his brow furrowed. All emotion blanked from his face and his eyes seemed to be even redder. "Yeah. It's a family trait." He looked up at the sky.

I blink. "Ba' topic?"

"Yup."

"Shu'in' up." I turn my gaze to the other three and they seem very surprised by Lloyd's sudden attitude change. I was surprised too. It was even weirder when his face changed back just as quickly.

"That's ok. You didn't know. So what happened? Why were you in the water like that?"

I sighed and took a deep breath, trying to get me breathing under control. "Was on... transport ship... Pa'macas'a. I not posed a be... on it. We half way Isela... wev got bad. Came out nowhere. Storm hit. Ship went down. Don't member most o what happen."

Raine shuddered. "Yes, it was a rather bad storm. We felt it in Iselia. I can only imagine how bad it was at sea. Considering the state of the ship from what we can see I'm surprised you survived at all."

I nodded sadly. "Be my Exsphere. If I close to death... doubt any else vived." I turn my gaze out to see and see the beach we were on was covered in bits of debris. I had apparently floated on part of this. I close my eyes and reach out with my senses. The only mana signatures in the water were fish. I sighed and tried to stand and Lloyd helps me up. I end up leaning heavily on him. "Tank you. Seems I still nuisance. Sorry."

Lloyd smiled at me. "It's ok. No worries. Let's just get you back to the village."

I smile and nod. "Thank you." Finally, words coming out the way I want them to.

Genis picked up my bag and carried it for me. It ended up taking almost half an hour to take a five minute walk. When we got to the village I nearly collapsed so Lloyd picked me up bridal style and carried me across the village and into a building in the far corner.

I see we have gone into some kind of hospital room and Lloyd lays me down on one of the beds. Raine walked over to the other end of the room and wheeled over a standing screen and a trolley with a bunch of boxes and some towels on it. She ushered Genis and Colette away from the bed and pulled a fold out screen out. "Can you get dressed on your own?"

I nodded weakly. There was no way I was going to let someone dress me. I was twenty. I could damn well do it myself. Genis put my bag down on the table next to the bed and they all walk around the screen, except for Lloyd who walked through a door at the other end of the room. I guess it was some kind of bathroom.

I had been pleasantly surprised to find out they had bathrooms in Sylvarant. Sure, the toilet could use a little updating and it emptied into a septic tank that had to be emptied but at least they had proper bathrooms and not out houses.

I carefully peel off my wet clothes and open my bag. Since Raine had brought the men's clothes over there wouldn't be any underwear for me in there. I blush when I realise the only bra I had was a ruby red, sequin covered, half shirt piece of lingerie I had brought from earth. I bush heavily as I put it on as well as some black underpants. I blush harder when Lloyd comes out of the bathroom in a dry pair of clothes, his wet stuff in his arms.

He stopped and stared at me for a moment before averting his eyes and hurrying past the screen, almost as red as his shirt.

I quickly put some clothes on and after making sure that I was effectively covered and pick up a towel to start drying my hair. I called out. "Done."

"That took a while." Genis said as they all came around the screen.

I nod. "Had trouble with buttons. Fingers wouldn't move proper." I rub at my hair. Genis nodded and I looked over at Lloyd. "Lloyd? You K? You all red."

Lloyd coughed and turned away slightly. "Um. Yeah. I'm fine... um... sorry for... err..."

I laugh. "Is 'k. No harm done. Don't mind you seeing." I grin at him and he blushed harder which makes me laugh.

Colette smiled. "Well, as long as you are ok."

Raine nodded. "Yes, I hate seeing children get hurt."

I sighed and rolled my eyes. I was too tired, sore and ineloquent to carry on much of a conversation right now. "'M not child..." I muttered almost petulantly.

Raine smiled. "I see. Well, Mr...?"

I blink. "Drake. Drake Rise."

"Mr Rise-"

"Drake's fine." I interrupted.

Raine blinked and nodded. "Drake. I would like to keep you here at least for tonight for observation. I want to be sure you didn't get sick from the storm."

I sigh. "Kay kay... probly did. Get sick lots..."

Raine nodded. "Well, best to stay here then. I'm the only healer in the village. We have a doctor but he is out of town for a few weeks, there is trouble in the village just south of us."

I nod as if I know what she is talking about. I had finished drying my hair by this point. Ugh. And I would have to wash it soon. It was covered in sea water. Blegh.

Lloyd coughed slightly. "Um. I should probably get going. I just remember a thing I have to do for Dad." He turned and fled the room. Wow. Was he that embarrassed?

I turn back to the others and tilt my head.

Raine frowned. "I'm sorry. He's not normally like this. Lloyd is usually a very social person. I'm not sure what has gotten into him today. Anyway, you must be hungry. I'll get you something to eat and-"

"NO! No. I'll do it. Why don't you just... check to make sure he doesn't have any other injuries?" Genis interrupted looking rather frantic.

Raine looked like she was going to protest so I made a sound like a kicked puppy and whimpered, "I hurt."

Raine nodded and went into healer mode and started doing what I assumed was the magical version of a medical scan. Genis hurried into a room at the back of the building on the opposite side of the far wall to the bathroom. I could see some counters so I assumed this was the kitchen. Genis popped his head around the door. "Do you have any dietary requirements?"

"Can't eat fishes." I answer.

Genis nodded and ducked back into the kitchen.

As Raine was finishing the medical scan someone popped their head around the door. "Ah. Chosen, there you are. Lady Phaidra needs you at the temple. We have been waiting for hours now. Come along."

"Oh. Coming. It was nice to meet you Drake. See you around. Goodbye Professor." Colette turned and ran off.

I blinked. "Chosen? She the chosen?"

Raine nodded. "Yes."

I duck my head. "Oh. I sorry. I not mean ah get in way of de chosen's duties. Sounds like she posed to do some'in' important day."

Raine sighed. "It's fine. You don't need to worry. You couldn't help it. Besides which, they were just praying for the safety of the ship that was supposed to come in today. That won't happen now since it was the one you were on."

I blush as if it was somehow my fault. "Oh."

Raine sighed again and cast several 'first aid's at me. I sigh in relief as the aches and pains that had been plaguing me since I woke up slowly started to vanish. There was still plain and my chest hurt like hell but it was much better than before. "Thank you. Hurt lots. Better now."

Raine nodded. "Yes, I would guess so. Your ribs are fully healed now, though they will be tender for a while. The bruises and cuts should all be gone too. I would still recommend staying in bed for today and I do need to keep you under observation for the night. After that we can see. Did you have a plan once you got here?"

I shook my head. "No. Have Exsphere. Could lift things, or plough... could farm..."

Raine frowned and looked down at my Exsphere. I didn't have my gloves on now so it was visible. "You have an Exsphere? How did you get it?"

I looked over at the wall opposite me and leaned against the headboard. "Stole off Desian... Dead... he no use it."

I blink and feel tears fill my eyes. It was still hard to think about that. Raine nodded and laid a hand on my shoulder. "I understand. They won't be around for much longer. In two years Colette will receive the oracle and head out on the journey of world regeneration. You just rest up. I'll go and see what Genis is up to."

I nodded and lay down in the bed. Two years? I was expecting to have been shunted into the game at the beginning or sometime during the story line. Two years early? That would give me time to help Lloyd get stronger at any rate.

I was surprised how tired I felt considering I had been awake for all of an hour at best. I yawned and closed my eyes.

When I opened them again the room was getting dark and there was a light sheet covering me. I sit up slowly.

"Ah, you're awake." I looked to the side and I saw Lloyd sitting on a chair next to the bed. "I told the professor to go and eat. I'm Lloyd, remember? So... your name is Drake?" the way he was speaking to me reminded me of the way someone would talk to someone who has special educational needs. Like someone with Down syndrome or something.

I nodded. "Mmmhmm. Name is Draceena. Call me Drake. Means Dragon. Like dragons."

Lloyd nodded. "Any reason you're pretending to be a boy?"

I blush and duck my head. "Um... yeah... is a secret... not telling..." Especially not someone I just met, even if that person is the only reason I haven't committed suicide by now. "Feel safer when I'm tending to be a guy anyway."

Lloyd looked at me sadly. "You'll be safe here. No one in Iselia would hurt you. I promise."

I grinned, pulled Lloyd closer and kissed him on the cheek. Or I would have done if he hadn't turned his head at the last second. I blushed a deep red and pulled away. Holy shit. I just kissed Lloyd Irving. LLOYD _FREAKING_ **IRVING**! Oh god... just kill me now before I die of embarrassment. I just kissed the only person who had kept me from killing myself and he doesn't have any idea who I am. Oh god...

Lloyd, somehow managing to keep his cool despite my unexpected and rather intrusive actions managed to clear his throat and carried on talking as if nothing had happened. "Do you have anywhere to stay?"

I shook my head. "No. Gonna stay at de inn till get work."

Lloyd nodded. "You could come and stay with me and my dad if you like."

I blink and look at Lloyd for a moment before I smiled. "Thank you. I preciate it."

Lloyd grinned and I grinned back. I guess staying in Iselia wouldn't be so bad.

Lloyd stayed with me for several hours that night. He gave me some food that Genis had prepared for me and he told me all about Iselia.

As it turned out, everything in the game was much bigger in real life. That made sense but I was surprised by how much the game missed out. There was, in fact, an inn, even though there wasn't one in the game. There was also a shopping district, a dock, a training ground and on the outskirts was a whole host of farmers' fields. The vineyard was also on the outskirts of the village rather than right in the middle of it. Why did they put the vineyard in the village instead of the inn in the game? It would have made sense to have the inn there since otherwise anyone staying in the village would have to find someone to let them stay the night with them.

After I had finished eating I checked through my bag and looked to see what was water damaged. A lot of it was in my wing pack so that was all fine. My first aid kit was in there thankfully. I had thought to put in it there before I left port.

I didn't have much else with me. Some spares of the outfit I had on, my pouch with my money in it, a map (which was totally ruined), my handkerchief (more paint on it than anything else), a canteen of water (Needed to be re-filled), some food (Way too far gone), some gels (Ruined), the mountain pass I stole is Asguard (Ruined), a coil of rope (Fine but when did that get in their?) And a pair of brown shoes (Ankle high instead of mid calf boots).

My swords were completely ruined. Metal and sea water was not a good combination.

Lloyd took all the stuff that was beyond repair and went to throw it out for me. When he came back I was already asleep.

When I woke in the morning Genis was there. "Ah... good morning Drake. Did you sleep well?"

I sat up straight and inclined my head towards him. "I did indeed, thank you. And yourself?"

Genis looked slightly taken aback and frowned. "Um... fine... so... are you hungry?"

I nodded slightly. "If it is not too much trouble... I would prepare something myself but it will likely take me a while to recover from the wreck, even with your mother's healing artes."

Genis laughed quite suddenly. "No... no... Raine isn't my mom, she's my sister."

I blushed lightly. "I see... my apologies... I had assumed she was your mother."

Genis shook his head. I could tell he was a bit weirded out by my actions. Just then Lloyd came into the building and walked over to us. "Hey, good morning Genis, Drake. How are you both?"

Genis looked sideways at me. "Um... I'm okay..."

I sighed and slid off the bed. I dropped to one knee in front of Lloyd and placed my right hand over my heart. "Lloyd... I humbly apologise for my actions and words last night. They were inappropriate and uncalled for. My actions were inexcusable and I beg of your forgiveness. I owe you my life and my actions last night were a poor way to express my gratitude."

That was not the way I usually talk but I usually got very posh and well spoken when I was nervous or around people I didn't know. Just like my speech became reminiscent of a toddler when I was ill, tired, hurting or any combination of the above.

Apparently 'near-death-by-drowning' has the same effect.

I glanced up at Lloyd without raising my head any more than necessary. He looked rather taken aback. Both he and Genis were freaked out by not only my sudden change in behaviour and speech patterns but also by what it was I was saying.

Lloyd sighed. "It's fine... I guess you weren't really yourself last night... you almost died..."

I nodded. "I was not in full control of my actions. The wreck had addled my senses." I had always wanted to say 'addled' in a sentence. "Had I been in control of myself I would not have done what I did."

Lloyd sighed and shook his head. "It's fine... I guess... just... don't do it again?"

I nodded. "I shall endeavour not to."

There was a brief silence before Genis said. "Endeavour means try."

Lloyd made a sound of understanding. "Right. Yeah... okay..." There was an awkward silence for a few moments before he asked. "How long are you going to stay down there?"

I grimaced as I tried to move my legs. "I'm... stuck... my left leg has seized up. I can't move it."

Lloyd let out a nervous laugh and helped me back onto the bed. Just then my stomach gave a loud growl. My face turned red. Honestly, I ate last night. Why was I hungry again? I normally went at least 24 hours between meals. Ever since I had come to Sylvarant I had been eating way more than usual. It was a real inconvenience.

Lloyd laughed and Genis grinned before heading into the kitchen without a word. Lloyd looked me over. "You kissed me last night."

I blushed bright red. Oh, god. I kissed Lloyd. "Um..." I squeaked. "Y-yeah... I... I'm sorry... I wasn't... um... I..." I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "I was aiming for your cheek but both me being in the state I was and you moving suddenly..."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah... I get it... just so long as you don't do it again then I'm okay with it."

I sighed and smiled. "Thank you. It won't happen again." I would die of fangirlness if I did. Lloyd Irving is my favourite person ever of all time and beyond.

When Genis came back out with breakfast the three of us ate, joined a short while later by Raine, who properly introduced herself and Genis. Raine gave me another once over with her healing artes and cleared me for discharge. After I had thanked her for her help and apologized profusely for taking up her time I walked out of the building with Lloyd.

I shouldered my bag and grinned at him. Lloyd grinned back and rummaged in his own bag, pulling out a large piece of parchment which he handed to me. Apparently he had come with a new map of Sylvarant for me. Once I had put it in my bag he took me on a shopping spree. He bought me some clothes to replace what had been damaged by the sea and the storm. In the end I got an outfit that was the same colour scheme as my last one but with a slightly different design. I had to get new boots too. Lloyd also insisted I get some women's clothes. Just in case I needed them.

He insisted on paying for everything. I insisted on paying him back.

I won.

After shopping Lloyd led me through the forest to his house. As it turned out, Lloyd knew a lot about the forest. Including the perimeters of the territories of the two wolf packs, the Desian patrol paths and schedules, the different types of plants and what they can be used for and the best areas for hunting rabbits.

It was surprising how intelligent he was at times and how at others he could be as dumb as a brick.

We eventually made it to Lloyd's house and he showed me inside. "Hey dad, I'm home. I bought Drake." Lloyd turned to me, "Drake this is my dad, Dirk."

I nod at the dwarf. "Hello sir. It's nice to meet you. Lloyd spoke very highly of you."

Dirk grinned. "It's nice to meet ya, lass. Lloyd told me about ya last night when he came home. I'll keep yer secret for ya, no worries. I set up a room for ya upstairs. Ya feel free to stay as long as ya need."

I blink and smile. "Thank you. That is very kind of you." It was. I could tell he actually meant it. That was what made it so weird. No one had ever shown me that kind of kindness before...

"So what were ya plannin' as a career, lad?" Dirk asked with a wink.

I smirk. "I hadn't really thought about it. I have an Exsphere so I can do physical stuff now that I couldn't before. Since I'm stronger than your average human I can do things faster and without assistance. I don't really know what I want to do with my life."

"What about the docks?" Lloyd asked.

I grimace. "While that is a possibility I prefer not to. The smell of fish makes me want to be sick. I actually am sick if I eat seafood. I can work on a ship but I would prefer somewhere less... Oceanic."

Dirk nodded. "Aye, I can understand that. I don't do well on the sea myself. Have ya ever tried yer hand at the forge?"

I blink in surprise. "Um... No sir... I haven't."

Dirk smiled up at me. "Just call me Dirk. How about I show you some simple things on the forge and we can see if you have the knack for it."

I smile. "Thank you. I really appreciate it."

As we worked on the forge it became clear that I was better at the fine details and bits of jewellery but when it came to things like swords I just couldn't get it right. It made sense that I was good with jewellery, not because I was a girl but because I learned from my mum. She made and sold jewellery in her spare time.

By the end of the day I had made a few passable attempts at crafting a necklace. I would need a lot of practice before I was able to craft something worth selling but at least the bits I made it was obvious what it was.

Dirk congratulated me on my work and I blushed red. I just could not take a complement. Not that I deserved one. The work wasn't that good and I basically wasted his materials. No one would wear what I made...

Dirk cooked Dwarven pot luck surprise that night. I had to try very hard not to gag. I was the type of person that didn't mix things together on my plate. I ate everything separately. I didn't even use gravy. Luckily it didn't have any seafood in it.

Back on earth, the smell of sea food made me ill, I was sick if I ate any but it wasn't an allergy. Here it was. It had become a 'stops breathing' type of allergy. Much like Lloyd and tomatoes. I thought he just didn't like them but after Dirk asked me if there was anything I couldn't eat Lloyd had told me about his deathly allergy to tomatoes. Since Dirk was nodding I assumed this was true as opposed to Lloyd just being fussy.

Lloyd showed me up to my room after dinner. I was surprised how tired I was but I had been working in the forge for most of today and I did nearly drown the night before last so I suppose it made sense.

I put my bag down on the table. If I was going to be here for another two years then I would have to get used to it. I didn't want to stay with Lloyd for that whole time but I didn't want to buy a house. It would only get burned down soon anyway.

I sigh and pull out my wing pack. I was feeling a little homesick now so I decided to look at the pictures on my phone. I turned it on (luckily I had turned it off) and looked through the pictures. It was after I had opened the folder that I realised I didn't actually have any pictures on it. I mostly used it for calls, texts and music so there were no pictures.

I sighed and turned my phone back off before stuffing it inside my wing pack. I lay on the bed for a few moments, quietly singing 'Missing' by Evanescence. It seemed appropriate.

Someone knocked on the door and I stopped immediately. I hated people hearing me sing. "Drake?" It was Lloyd. "I forgot to tell you where the bathroom is."

I open the door and Lloyd grins sheepishly at me. "Um... The only other rooms up here are my room," he pointed at the room directly opposite mine, "Dad's room," He pointed to the room next to mine, diagonally from his, "And those cupboards." He pointed to three doors side by side opposite Dirk's room. "Downstairs is the main room, the door on the... Right when you are at the bottom of the stairs is the forge, the kitchen is on the left and the bathroom is the door on the left on the same wall as the stair case. On the right of the stairs on the same wall is the door to the cellar."

I nod. "Thanks."

Lloyd blushed. "Heh, I should have told you where everything was before taking you upstairs. Anyway, you should probably wash all that salt off your skin. It can't be good for you. There is a river that goes around the cottage. If you follow the stream behind the house it gets deeper and it's hidden from view of the house by trees and a wooden wall my dad put up. You can wash your clothes there too. It's not like you smell or anything. I was just saying the salt could damage your skin and it would be better to get the salt water from your clothes as soon as you can and... I was just..."

I smile. "Lloyd... You're rambling. It's ok. I know I smell. I need to bathe. Thanks for reminding me." I gather up my salty clothes (which I had not been wearing) and head out to where Lloyd told me the river was. The little stream got deeper behind the house and there was a little bridge that went over it. The stream turned into a river when it merged together and just as Lloyd said there was a bit hidden behind a wooden wall.

I took my time washing. I was so glad to get all that salt off of me. After I was clean, I washed my clothes. I did that twice to be on the safe side and hung them up on the line behind the house. There was nowhere else to put them.

After I went back in I bid goodnight to Lloyd and Dirk and went back upstairs. Sleep was hard to find that night. I was plagued by dreams of everything that had happened so far here. I also had nightmares about what was happening back home.

I woke several hours before dawn but didn't want to try and sleep anymore. I walked out of the house and sat on a tree stump outside the front door. I started playing with the mana in the air. It was calming and allowed me to clear my mind a little. Even if I worried about what was happening I could not do anything about it until Kratos releases Origin's seal. I could ask him to send me home then.

I gathered up some of the light mana in the air, there wasn't much since it was night time but there was some. I stared at my hand in shock as a small ball of light flickered into existence on my hand. It vanished as soon as I saw it but it was definitely there. I frowned and pulled more light mana. I grinned when the light came back. I experimented with it for a while. The more mana I pulled up the brighter the light. I played around with it for a few more minutes before letting the mana disperse back into the air.

I took a deep breath. I was much calmer now. I went back inside and picked up my swords. They were completely ruined but I could at least practice with them. I found a clearing not far from the house and started running through some basic exercises the guards at Luin had shown me.

After a little while I had built up a sweat and moved onto some more advanced techniques. I didn't use any artes for now. I could do that later.

I stayed out there until the sun rose and its weak rays of light poked through the tops of the trees. I breathed heavily and headed back to the house.

When I got there Dirk was awake and making breakfast. "Ah, there ya are lass. I saw yer swords were gone and was wonderin' where ya'd gone off to. Could ya go wake up Lloyd for me? He's gonna be late fer school if he doesn't wake up soon."

I nod and went upstairs to Lloyd's room. I found him spark out on his bed and chuckled. I crouched down next to him. I stare at him for a moment and jab him in the side. Nothing happened so a decided to try something. I channelled mana into my hand like I would with my sword when using an arte and focused on my fingers. I jabbed Lloyd again. "Wake up!" He jerked and woke with a start.

"Ah! Oh. Hey, Drake. Why are you in my room?" He tilted his head at me and blinked the sleep out of his eyes.

"You're gonna miss breakfast and be late for school. Your dad sent me to wake you up." I grinned at the excited puppy look Lloyd had when I mentioned breakfast which was then followed by a kicked puppy look when I mentioned school. I laugh. "Come on. Get dressed and come downstairs."

I walk out the room and hear Lloyd getting up and moving around. I went downstairs and smiled at Dirk. "He's getting ready."

Dirk blinked. "Already? That was fast." I smile and nod. "Well, help yerself." He sat down at the table and started on breakfast so I joined him. Lloyd came down moments later fully dressed and started on his own breakfast. When he finished he looked at his dad. "Ya got half an hour before ya have to leave. I was expectin ya to take longer to wake up."

Lloyd blinked in surprise. "Really? I'm early?"

Dirk nodded. "Aye. Ya can use this time to get started on that homework ya have to hand in today."

Lloyd groaned and went to a bag near the door and brought it over to the table. I laugh in my head and head out to the back of the house to get my clothes off the line. I take a quick dunk in the river to wash off the dried sweat from my work out this morning and put my usual outfit on. I felt much more comfortable in it. I went back inside and went up to my room. I put the clothes away in the draws and unpack some of the things from in my bag.

I may as well stay with Lloyd in school, I knew next to nothing about Sylvarant really.

When I was happy with what I had left in my bag I went downstairs and joined Lloyd at the table and peeked at his homework. I blanked when I realised that I couldn't read a thing. Up until then I had not actually had to read anything. I had no idea if those were letters or numbers.

I sighed when I realised I would have to go to school to learn this. I was not comfortable living in a world where I couldn't read or write the common language. I was lucky that the spoken language and number system were the same.

I sighed. "So, what are you working on?"

Lloyd looked up at me. "Maths."

I sighed. "Right... so those are numbers..." I muttered.

Lloyd tilted his head. "Can't you read them?"

I blushed bright red I had not meant for him to hear that. "Um... no... I can't read or write... I can do maths though. What have you got here?"

Lloyd grinned and pulled a separate piece of paper over and did some squiggles on it in lines. There was a gap between each one. "This is the alphabet and these are numbers from zero to ten."

I grinned and pulled the paper and his homework over and looked at each of the numbers. After comparing them I passed his homework over. "You have them all wrong." Lloyd groaned and I laughed lightly. "Don't worry. I'll help. Math is one of the few things I can do."

He and I worked on his homework for the rest of the time before we had to leave to get to school. Lloyd grinned at me as we left the house. "Thanks. You helped me understand this _way_ better than the professor can and she's been my teacher for four years."

I smiled at him and blushed heavily. "You think in a similar way to me. It was easy enough to find out where you were going wrong." Adding random numbers into the equation from nowhere was a start.

When Lloyd grinned and packed his homework away I stared into space for a moment. I was really uncomfortable with the idea of being unable to read or write. Maybe it would be best if I went with Lloyd to school...

Ugh... education...


	4. Chapter 4

I bring you this chapter much earlier than normal because I love all of you so much! You make me feel so loved.

I have put a poll up on my profile as to which of my four current stories I should make my main focus. The others will still have their monthly updates but I would like to have one that is my main focus. Please, let me know what you think.

If any of you have any questions about anything in the story, ask. If you can't understand it, other people might not either. I will answer any questions at the start of each chapter, to help clear up any misunderstandings.

* * *

Now, my dear readers. I'm not going to bore you with the next two years, they were rather boring (the six months I spent in the school most especially) so instead I am going to give you a quick summery of them and get right onto the part you are actually interested in. If you are interested in these little stories then you may read the side story I am putting up alongside this one, Learning the Art of Belonging.

For now, a quick explanation will suffice.

I arrived in Sylvarant on January the 20th year 4002. I arrived in Iselia on April the 4th, moved in with Lloyd the next day and enrolled in the school in Iselia the day after. I spent six months in the school learning how to read and write Hume (the common language spoken and written by humans) and anything I could about Sylvarant. After I dropped out of school I joined the town guard and started helping them get better.

I carried on manipulating mana and Lloyd caught me one day. When he tried it he accidentally cast fireball so he took instruction from Genis on how to cast spells. Genis then learned some spells he didn't learn until much later in the game.

A few weeks after I moved in with them, Dirk made me three swords to replace the ones destroyed by the storm. A 37.5" Katana, a 28" Wakisashi and an 18" Tanto. A link to a picture of them is on my profile.

Lloyd soon started joining me in going out to train in the ungodly hours of the morning and we both improved a lot.

A year after I moved in with them Lloyd and Dirk both gave me a gift each. Dirk gave me a dress and Lloyd gave me a necklace. I then showed Dirk a design for a dress for both Raine and Colette and Dirk decided to design something for Lloyd and Genis too. I put them all straight into my Wingpack.

During the first year I was in Iselia Raine tried to teach me healing artes but we quickly figured out I couldn't. I figured out how heal by channelling mana with my hands (think medical-ninjutsu from Naruto). Lloyd tried to learn healing artes and was very pleased to learn that he could. This inspired Raine to learn some more healing artes.

During my experimenting with mana I figured out how to select targets. I accidentally figured out that I could affect the pull of gravity using earth mana and set out to learn how to fly without telling anyone about it.

One day I was staring at a fly on the wall and wondered if I could ninja walk on walls like Naruto. I tried and failed. Lloyd caught me and tried, he did it on his first try (this made me very jealous). This made sense since channelling mana was normal to him, he did it all the time. After he masters tree climbing I showed him water walking. Genis could walk on water but he didn't have the strength to walk up a tree and not end up hanging upside down by his feet.

One year six months after I moved into Iselia I caught Lloyd out way too early in the morning. I cornered him and he confessed to not being able to sleep anymore and didn't really get hungry either. I noticed his Exsphere was glowing slightly and figured out he had been channelling mana into it. His logic was that since his Exsphere made him stronger then maybe if he channelled more mana into it then he would get even stronger. Unfortunately the side effect of this was kick starting the angel transformation process.

Around that time Genis met Marble. I confronted him and told him to be careful. I accidentally let slip that I know he and Raine are half-elves. Raine confronted me one day about it but I assured her that I didn't give even the slightest damn.

It was two weeks before Colette's birthday that I was going through my bag and emptied out my wingpack (mostly, it was so full I wasn't sure if half the stuff in there would even fit in Dirk's house). A black plastic thing fell on the floor. I picked it up.

My phone.

I forgot I even had one.

I had forgotten I was from earth.

In two weeks Colette would be going on the journey of world regeneration and after that we would all go to Tethe'alla. After that... I would be asking Origin to send me back to earth.

But did I want to go back?

Here on Sylvarant I had friends. I had a job with the town guard, occasionally doing other things around town for extra money. I was learning to use magic. I was actually enjoying life. I wasn't scared of people any more, I wasn't falling into depths of depression and I wasn't scared of life. I was enjoying myself more here than I ever had back on earth.

Did I want to go back?

* * *

The day of Colette's birthday arrived! Also, the day of Prophesy but I didn't really care that much about it, other than what would be happening and when.

I had given Colette her present from Dirk earlier. A brand new set of chakrams. Several of them actually, so if she lost one she wouldn't have to buy more. I told her that Lloyd and I had been working on her presents and we were nearly done, we just had to do a few finishing touches and wrap them. I was on edge all day. I knew what would be happening. I sensed them before anyone else.

Renegades.

I was not letting them storm Iselia and attack the temple. Too many people had died, although they didn't explicitly say so in the game, apart from 'the priests that were to accompany her, fell at the hands of the Desians'.

I was not letting anyone die needlessly.

It was just my bad luck that there had been a fire yesterday in one of the barns. Most of the town guard was either recovering from burns, smoke inhalation, adrenalin crash or some other kind of injury. There was barely half the guard able for duty today and most of them were off duty in the further parts of town.

I drew my sword and stepped forwards. The other guard on duty with me on the front gate readied his spear but couldn't see what had gotten my attention for another minute.

The renegades charged in from the south. I met the charge head on and managed to hold my own against many of the foot soldiers. Many of them ran past me with Botta but some stayed. They all went down quickly enough until it was just me and Vidarr left standing.

I glanced behind me to find my companion lying on the ground. He gave me a weak thumbs up but stayed down. I noticed a small group of spectators hanging out close to the village entrance. Someone carefully moved forwards and dragged Lucas into the village. I assumed they would take him to the hospital. I turned back to Vidarr and glared at him.

I Sherlocked him for a moment. Tall, heavily muscled. Thick limbs. Relies on brute strength, not agility but leg strength is not to be underestimated. Helmet with horns. Helmet protects the head, horns are protecting the sides of his neck, aiming there will be tricky. Body armour on his chest, none on his midsection. Confident in his ability to defend himself but cautious enough to wear some armour. Heavy armoured boots reaching his knees with knee guards. Shorts. Legs might be a weakness but I would have to attack them from behind.

Hammer in one hand and mace in the other sword on his back. Wielding both hammer and mace with no issue. Strong. Skilled with his weapons.

How to defeat him?

Speed. Get behind him to attack his legs. Aim for his midsection or the front of his neck. I braced myself. A bright light shone from the sky behind to the north and the both of us were blinded. As soon as the light faded I dashed forwards.

He swung the ball of the mace at me and aimed the hammer. I dodged both and went in again. After a few repetitions of this I was fairly confident about his speed and reflexes. This was going to be hard. I dashed forwards and stopped suddenly in front of him, swinging my sword up and using some mana to easily cut through the chain of his mace. He needed to take better care of his weapons. The chain was rusted and covered in dried blood. I narrowly avoided the hammer and kept an eye on the ball. I didn't land near anyone so I focused my full attention on my opponent.

Unfortunately, my watching the ball had caused me to lose a moment of distraction and he had already drawn his sword by the time I turned back to him.

The hammer quickly followed the mace after I used super-charged fire to incinerate the handle which was also poorly cared for.

The sword was another matter entirely. He and I traded blows several times but I knew I couldn't draw this out too long. The others were probably already at the temple. I wanted to help them with Botta.

I narrowed my eyes. There was only one way I was going to end this stalemate within the next few moments. I took a deep breath and steadied myself. I dashed forwards and swung my sword out wide. Vidarr took advantage of the opening that created and swung at me. I managed to avoid most of the blow and swung my sword around from behind him, running him though from behind.

While he had a chest plate on his front, he had no such protection on his back.

I looked over my shoulder as he dropped to the ground and pulled my sword out of him, flicking it clean before sheathing it. I placed a hand over the large and very painful gash in my side and healed it up as best I could. I turned around and dashed through the village, ignoring the calls to come back from many of the villagers who had been watching me.

When I get there Lloyd, Genis and Colette are standing at the bottom of the stairs. "Guys. Wait up!" I stopped next to them. "There are Desians up there."

Lloyd nodded grimly. "Yeah. We figured. Let's go."

When we get to the top of the stairs I look around. There are a number of priests injured but luckily no one seems dead yet. Lloyd immediately started throwing healing artes at them. I look Botta over. "Hmmm. So, you must be Botta. Leader of the Triet Desian ranch. The only one of the Desian ranches that does not 'cultivate' humans." I made quotation marks over cultivate.

Genis looked at me. "There's no Desian ranch near Triet."

I smiled down at him. "Not as far as you are aware."

Lloyd growled. "That doesn't matter. Their still Desians. They still broke the non aggression treaty."

I shook my head. "We have a non-aggression treaty with the _Iselia_ ranch. We don't have one with the _other _ranches. They didn't break the treaty because there is no treaty to break."

Botta smirked at me. "You are very well informed."

I smirk back. "I get around."

Botta snorted. "No matter. My mission has not changed." He turned back to the priests. "Where is the chosen?"

"I'm here." Colette called out. I face palm.

"Lord Botta. There she is." Desian soldier #1 called out.

Botta face palmed. "I can see that you idiot." He took his hand away from his face. "Chosen one. Your life is mine."

Lloyd drew one of his swords. "I won't let you Desians get away with anything."

Desian soldier #1 smirked at us. "Desians? HAHAHAHA!"

Genis glared. "What's so funny?"

Desian soldier #2 said. "Well then, die at the hands of the Desians you so hate. Get them!"

Botta glared at him but spoke in a very casual 'couldn't be bothered' tone. "I believe _I_ am in charge here. None the less you are quite correct. Kill them all."

The four foot soldiers charged at us. Lloyd and I charged forwards and ended up in the middle of the Desian formation with two of them on either side of us. We stood back to back and I pulled out my Wakisashi in my right hand and my tanto in my left. Lloyd drew his other sword and we swung at the Desians. I channelled wind mana down my blades and slashed them both with the mana even though they both jumped back and avoided the blade itself.

Behind me I heard a shout of pain so I assumed Lloyd hit one. I threw my tanto and nailed one of the Desians right in the face. The other one got a fireball to the face. I heard another two shouts of pain from behind me. I lunged forwards and quickly stabbed the Desian in the neck while he was distracted by the burn on his face. I turn and crouch down just as Lloyd spins around and uses tempest. I step backwards in my crouch and pull my tanto out of the guys face. Lloyd had taken both of his Desians out. One had a slash on his face that I assume came from Colette's chakrams.

I straighten up and the four of us turn to Botta.

He sighed. "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself."

I nod. "It is never best to rely on others to get things done right. Especially uncouth cads like these."

"Quite, quite. Well then, shall we?"

"Oh, come now. There must be something we can do to sort this out. What exactly is your agenda here?" I was quite enjoying being British with Botta.

"I have come to kill the chosen." He drew his sword.

"Is that your goal? Or is there something else? Do you truly wish to assassinate a sixteen year old girl, or is it more that you do not wish for her to complete the journey of world regeneration?"

Botta glared at me. "It is the same thing."

I smirk. "Not necessarily." Damn it Kratos where in the nine hells are you?

"Enough of this idle chatter. Prepare yourself!" Botta charged towards me.

Since he had his sword in his right I dodged to my right and slashed with my tanto which was in my left hand. I managed to just scrape his shirt as he dodged so I didn't do anything. He smirked at me. "Hmm. That is better than anyone has done in a while."

I narrow my eyes. I was going to need a little help with this. Focus on mana and move it so the wind stops affecting me and I use gravity to pull myself faster.

I was so much faster this time. He barely avoided my attack but he didn't see Lloyd coming towards him from behind until it was nearly too late. He managed to dodge again but not in time to avoid damage. We looked down at the shallow cut on his shirt and a saw a glint of metal armour underneath it. I charged round to the same side Lloyd was on. This left Genis and Colette unguarded but that was my plan. "Behind you!" I shouted.

Botta turned around on instinct and got nailed right in the crotch with Genis' Stone blast. I laugh for a moment and Colette chuckled. Lloyd and Genis both wince in sympathy. I close one eye and stare at the ground beneath him. I smirk.

"Bet that hurt, but how 'bout this? Stalagmite!" The ground beneath him burst upwards and nailed him in the crotch again. I laughed harder. I couldn't use spells but there was no reason to let him know that so it was probably best to pretend I could and make the same effects as the spells using my method.

Laughing proved to be a mistake as Botta turned to me and charged. Never mind he was closer to his target and the only one between them was a twelve year old mage.

I used the Wakisashi to block and held the Tanto behind his blade keeping it in place. Lloyd took that opportunity to stab him in the side.

He managed to break free from my grip and I jumped backwards to avoid his slash. Of course since I was nearly against the wall the only place for me to go was half way up the wall. I didn't have a problem with that (since I could hover in the air just fine) but apparently Botta did since he let his guard down long enough to be hit with a fire ball, a chakram and a demon fang at the same time. I sent an azure edge at him. Demon fang only worked if it had ground to travel on. Lloyd and I learned azure edge to compensate for this. I dropped down from the wall and charged him while he was busy charging at Lloyd.

This hit-and-run-tag-team tactic was working but we didn't seem to be doing much damage. He was wearing patches of metal armour so our attacks weren't doing much damage since we kept hitting the metal.

Botta caught me off guard and threw me to the ground I was about to throw fire in his face when a purple blur jumped in front of me and slashed at Botta. I did not like having a grown man stand over me. Not at all.

I kicked him in the nuts and did a backwards roll with a hand spring to get away from him. I panted heavily. I had been channelling way too much mana during this battle. Clearly Botta wasn't holding back.

And clearly Botta knew this purple clad newcomer. "Hm. I didn't think you would show up. No matter. I'll retreat for now. You, boy, what is your name?"

"Drake." I answered.

"Drake, the next time we meet you will perish by my blade."

I smirk at him. "Sir, should we ever meet in armed combat again, I will ensure you do not emerge from it alive. But I invite you to give it your best shot."

"Till we meet again then." He turned and fled.

I blink. "Huh. Not even a threat to Colette. He must really hate me."

Lloyd blinked. "You hit him in the nuts with a stalagmite. Of course he hates you."

I sighed, "Ah, details, details." I turn to the purple clad man. "Sorry for kicking you in the nards. Battle mode and all. I didn't appreciate you standing over me like that. It was a reflex to kick at you." Kratos grunted at me which I took to mean 'do it again and I will kill you' "Thanks for the save anyway."

Kratos nods respectfully at me "Is everyone alright?" I nod and healed the few injuries I got as Lloyd casts a few first aids at himself. Genis and Colette had managed to get out of the battle unscathed. "Hmm. No one seems to be hurt." I rolled my eyes. Yes, because we just healed ourselves.

Kratos put his hand on the pommel of his sword and the light from the sun and the temple glint of his Exsphere.

Lloyd blinked. "Is that an Exsphere?"

I nod. "Looks like it."

Lady Phaidra walked over. "How can I ever thank you for saving the chosen?"

"I see. So this girl is the next chosen." Kratos looked sideways at us.

"That's right! I have to go accept the oracle! Grandmother. I'm going to undergo the trial now." She turned to us. "Come on guys."

Lloyd grins and fist pumps.

I nodded and looked at the temple. "Let's be careful guys. I sense monsters inside the temple. It is hard to tell because of the huge amount of mana on the roof but I'm sure of it. Once we're inside I might be able to get a better reading."

Lloyd nodded. "Right. We'll stay on guard."

Phaidra looked up at us. "Lloyd? Are you sure you wish to go inside? It will be dangerous. I would be uneasy with just you and Drake."

Kratos looked at Lloyd sceptically. "Your name is Lloyd?"

"Yeah, but who are you to ask for my name?"

"I am Kratos, a mercenary." He turned to Phaidra. "As long as you can pay me, I'll accept the job of guarding the chosen."

Phaidra frowned and considered it for a moment. For a scary second I was sure she would refuse. "Very well then. I do not wish to send these children into the temple alone."

I twitch. "Lloyd is eighteen and I am twenty two. We are not children."

Kratos flinched backwards. "You're twenty two?"

I sigh. "How old did you think I was?"

"Seventeen."

I sigh. "Damn. Why do I have such a baby face?"

Genis laughed.

I glare weakly at him. "Thank you." I said sarcastically. I sigh. "Anyway, welcome to the team, Kratos. My name is Drake Rise, this is Lloyd Irving and Genis sage and the chosen one here is Colette Brunel."

Kratos hmm'ed. "You three should stay at home. This is no place for children."

My eye twitched. "Not a child."

Lloyd glared at him. "What did you say?"

"You heard me. You're a burden. Go home."

I glare it him. "Not going to happen. We are going with Colette into the Temple. No way are we letting Colette go through this without someone she knows beside her. Besides, we don't know who you are or anything about you and Botta, who is the leader of the Triet Desian ranch, seemed rather reluctant to fight you. If you were some world famous mercenary we would have heard of you."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah, how can we trust you?"

Kratos glared at us but seemed to give up. "Fine. Do as you wish." He turned and walked into the temple.

"Well he's a barrel full of sunshine." I sigh.

Lloyd looked at me. "You say some weird things sometimes."

I nod. "Yes I do. Onward!" I point to the temple and walk forwards. Lloyd laughed and followed me with Genis and Colette. We met up with Kratos in the main entrance room of the temple.

Kratos glared at us. "This isn't a field trip you know."

We look around the entrance room. Lloyd hummed. "So this is what the inside of the temple looks like."

Genis turned to Colette. "Colette. You've been inside the temple many times, right?"

Colette turned around to look at Genis. "Yeah, but it seems different than usual."

Kratos hmm'ed lightly. "I sense the presence of monsters. Don't let your guard down."

Lloyd turned his head away from the ceiling. "Drake told us there were monsters in here when we were outside. Try to pay attention. Drake what can you sense?"

I close my eyes. "A couple of zombies, a few Acromantula, some of those demon jellies, a few ghouls and... something I have never seen before."

Lloyd nodded. "Nothing we can't handle?"

I think for a moment. "Set fire to everything except the new one. It's an earth element so water spells would do the most damage. Try using aqua fang."

Lloyd nodded and grinned. "I've been wanting to use that in a real fight. Where do we go first?"

I look around. "The largest concentration of mana other than the ceiling is in that direction." I point to the path in front of us. "Let's go see. We might not have to fight anything anyway."

Lloyd, Genis and Colette nodded and we headed towards the central pathway.

"Wait. Lloyd, Drake... Are your sword techniques self-taught?" Kratos asked.

We look back at him. I tilted my head to one side. "For the most part, yes. We did build them up from a base of skills I learned from the soldiers in Luin. Since Lloyd is a dual swordsman and I interchange three different swords depending on the situation we can't use the same style most people use. We have worked to get as many openings closed as we can but there are still gaps that neither of us can see. My fight against the Desian General before I came over to the temple was an eye opener."

Lloyd frowned. "Desian General?"

I nodded. "I think his name was Vidarr. I fought him over by the south-western entrance to the village before I came rushing over here. That was why Botta had so few troops with him. Not many got past me before I cut them down. I was fighting Vidarr for a while but he was matching me blow for blow. I almost had to use a special last resort technique. While you and I have been sparing we have been covering our weaknesses but we haven't really been improving. We are going to have to train harder."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah... we got lucky today... we need to improve..."

Kratos frowned. "I see. Then you might find this useful." He walked over and handed Lloyd a training manual. Lloyd and I both just looked at him and arched an eyebrow. (A habit Lloyd picked up from me.) "If you are going to get stronger you will need to cover the basics."

Lloyd and I sweat-dropped. I shook my head. "I just told you we covered the basics. We only need someone more experienced than us to point out the flaws in our techniques so we can work on covering them."

Lloyd gave the book to me and I stashed it in my bag. We turned and headed back to the pathway. I hadn't noticed how little Kratos paid attention. It was annoying to have to repeat myself for his sake.

We walk up to the door and find it sealed. "It's sealed." Kratos said quite blankly.

"Thank you, Captain Obvious." I said sarcastically. "How do you think we can open it? Any ideas Colette?"

"The sorcerer's ring can probably open it. It's enshrined in this temple."

Genis shrugged with one arm. "Where is it?"

Lloyd nodded. "Let's hurry up and go get it."

Colette clasped her hands in front of her chest. "...Um... I don't know. I'm sorry."

I sigh. "That's alright Colette. At least you know what we need to find and that it is somewhere in the temple. I can sense a source of mana below us. Past all the monsters. That might be it. It is the only thing in the temple that isn't alive, past this or above us so that has to be it." Sensing mana was weird. It had been two years already and I still wasn't quite used to it.

Lloyd nodded. "Alright. To the basement then."

We walk around and head down the pathway to our left, the path on the right when you come in. We came across some giant spiders and a zombie. Lloyd, Genis and I all throw a fire ball at them and they go down quickly enough.

We walk along the passageway and come across another zombie and some demon jelly. We burnt them too.

Kratos looked at me sceptically. "When you said to set fire to everything I didn't think you meant it literally."

I look up at him. Damn it, why am I so short? Why is he so tall? "Fire is the answer to all of life's problems."

Kratos stares at me like I'm insane but the rest of us were already moving forwards. We come across another giant spider, a jelly and a ghost and they are quickly reduced to ash too.

I hummed. "I wonder what the actual name for those giant spiders is."

Lloyd looked at me. "They're not called Acromantula?"

I shook my head. "That is what I've always called them. I don't know if that is their actual name or not. Knowing how simple most of the other monster's names are it will probably be something like 'giant spider'."

Lloyd blinked. "Acromantula sounds cooler."

I nodded. "Yeah, it does. And more dangerous."

Genis nodded. "It sounds more like a 'proper name' too."

We get to a staircase and there is a ghost at the top which Genis sets fire to and we head down the stair case.

We come down into a room with a hanging glass floor with square holes at the bottom. I look at the ground beneath us and I notice holes in the floor in the same places. Wait... this puzzle actually exists? That's tedious.

"So that's the sorcerers ring?" I look over at Lloyd and follow his line of vision. Yup. Sorcerers ring.

I turn my head. "Golem. That must be what I sensed before." The others turned around and see it crouched down. "It's dormant at the moment. Most likely touch activated, considering the holes in the floor below match up almost completely with the holes on this glass floor I'm guessing we have to push something down it to complete the pathway. Since golems are enchanted earth I'm guessing that has something to do with the puzzle."

Genis nodded. "Let's just get rid of the golem and see what happens."

I nod. "Stick to water spells. Colette, only aim at the weak spots, cracks that we make. Your chakrams would be useless against it."

Colette nodded and Genis and I start casting. Out of the corner of my eye I see Kratos start casting too. Simultaneously Lloyd uses Aqua Fang, Kratos cast aqua edge, I cast an imitation of it and Genis uses aqua laser. I blink as the golem goes down as soon as the combined attacks hit.

I blink. "Huh. That was easy. I guess we've been doing so much training that we are just that much more powerful than whoever made this challenge was expecting."

The golem morphed into a giant cube. I walk up to it and give it a gentle push towards the hole behind it. It glides easily across the floor and into the hole. I smirk. Oh yeah. No pushing and shoving required.

I look down the hole at the cube, floating in the gap between the two sections of path. I grin at Lloyd and Genis. We turn around and I spot another golem appearing. "Let's do this."

It takes us all of five minutes to complete the puzzle. In the end I sent Colette down and she pushed the blocks into place when we couldn't get them down strait away. It was really easy. Even though it required a lot more blocks than in the game. They had to make the gap big enough that you couldn't just _jump_ over it.

We walk down the steps and join Colette at the bottom. I am not really surprised there wasn't a save point at the bottom. You can't save real life.

We head up to the altar and see the sorcerers ring floating above it. Genis shrugged one arm. "So this is the sorcerers ring! I've heard about it before. It's a holy artefact of the Church of Martel!"

Kratos nodded a little bit. "We should be able to deal with most traps and obstacles with this."

Lloyd grinned. "Wow. Let me try it."

Colette smiled. "Okay Lloyd."

I smile at him. Such a child. "Don't aim it at anyone."

Lloyd put it on and shot the sorcerers ring. It shot a tiny fire ball at the wall. "Well that was disappointing."

Genis sighed. "Lloyd. You get bored with everything way too quickly."

Lloyd sighed. "With a name like 'The Sorcerer's Ring' I was expecting something a little more impressive. That felt no different than casting fire ball and the flame was even weaker than the ones Drake sometimes flicks at me."

I nod. "It was rather anti-climactic. Nevertheless, it was necessary to get. Unless one of us cast fire ball at the barrier and it dissolves. Then I will be annoyed with this useless toy."

Kratos looked at me. "You flick fireballs at him?"

I nod. "Yeah. Only little ones though." To prove my point I flicked a fireball at Lloyd. It was only a little one. About a third of the size of my fist and I have tiny hands. Lloyd just casually tilted his head to the side to avoid it.

Genis and Colette nod as if this is completely normal. Kratos looked at us as if we were all crazy.

We head back up to the main entrance and go back to the door to the alter room. I threw a quick fireball at the barrier and it dissolved. "Ok. Well that was an exercise in futility. The ring is useless. Why use a ring to cast a spell you can already cast?" I asked sarcastically.

Kratos stared at me. "Most humans cannot cast magic."

I quirk my eyebrow at him. "So sais the magic swordsman. If humans can't use magic what do you call what you can do?"

Kratos glared at me. "My ability to use magic is none of your concern."

I shrug. "No need to get defensive. Lloyd and I are humans who can use magic too. You could just say 'it's personal' and we'll leave it at that. I'm not going to pry into your personal life. I don't know you, we're not friends. I have no right to ask you for personal information."

Lloyd nodded. "Everyone is entitled to their secrets as long as they don't hurt the people around them by keeping it."

I nod, feeling slightly bad about knowing so many secrets. Genis and Raine are half-elves, Colette is going to die soon, Lloyd is becoming an angel, Kratos works for Cruxis and is secretly Lloyd's father. So many secrets, and we are only at the start of our journey. "Anyway, oracle awaiting. Conversations later." We all move towards the warp pad. "Gimme a sec." I step onto the warp pad. It felt really weird. Like I was being stretched in all different directions at once. When I get to the alter room I look around. Nothing. I step back on the warp pad. "All clear. Come on." I step back on the warp pad again. I felt quite sick now. Note to self. Don't go through three warp points consecutively. Not good.

When the others are all inside the alter room Colette walked up to the altar. I stood on one side of her and Lloyd stood on the other. Kratos stood on the far side of the room being all broody and mysterious and Genis stood near a window next to the warp point.

"This appears to be the top floor." Kratos observed.

"Thank you again, Captain Obvious. We never would have figured that out." I said, dripping sarcasm. Did he always have to point out the obvious? "What gave it away? The domed roof, the fact that the building only has two floors, or the lack of anything else here?"

Kratos looked at me like I had just kicked a puppy.

"That's the altar." Colette said, completely ignoring me and Kratos.

Lloyd nodded. "Then that shining thing there must be the Cruxis crystal."

Colette nodded. "That's right. They say I was born with that in my hand."

Genis looked up and gasped. "Look at that light."

A bright light shone down from the ceiling. A glowing golden ball of light detached itself from it and floated down. I looked down just as the light seemed to explode and I glanced back up to see Remiel. Oh how I hated him.

Lloyd looked up in awe. "Woah. An angel!"

I glance between Remiel and Colette. "Huh. Guess the rumours that Colette is descended from angels are false. Her mana is nothing like this guy's. They're clearly not related."

Angel-mc-pissy-pants looked down at us. "I am Remiel. I am an angel of judgment. I am here to guide Colette, daughter of the mana lineage, on her journey to heaven as the seventh chosen." Colette's Cruxis crystal started floating and glowing brighter and Remiel drifted down to hover just above the altar. "The time has come to awaken the goddess Martel who sleeps in the centre of the world."

Genis looked over at Colette. "Awaken the goddess Martel... it's just like the legend Raine told us about."

Colette's Cruxis crystal slowly made its way through the air towards us. I gently gripped Colette's hand. She must be so scared right now. Could it not move any faster?! God damn it. The wait was killing me, what was it doing to Colette? I could see Lloyd, Genis and Kratos were unaffected by it. Lloyd and Genis didn't know and Kratos simply didn't care anymore.

The crystal finally reached Colette and fixed itself to her neck with a bright flash of light. For a second, as the gem fixed itself to her, her eyes turned a dull, lifeless red. It only lasted for a second but I noticed. It passed as quickly as it came. She reached up to it with her other hand and I could see the sadness in her eyes as the light faded. Poor Colette. She knew that as of this moment, she was a dead girl walking.

She quickly put her happy mask back on and turned to look up at Remiel.

"From this moment, Colette becomes the Chosen of Regeneration. We of Cruxis bless this event and hereby bestow the Tower of Salvation upon Sylvarant."

We looked out the window and see a tower materialise out of nothing. It looks thin but the fact that we can see it from here must mean it is huge. It disappeared up into the clouds. Overcompensating for something Mithos? That spandex must be difficult to pull off with something between your legs.

Lloyd breathed a sigh of awe. "So that's the Tower of Salvation."

Genis grinned. "Now the world will be saved!"

Remiel looked like he wanted to sneer at us until we had all turned around to look at him. "Colette, the Chosen of Regeneration. Unlock the seals that guard the Tower of Salvation and climb its stairs to heaven in distant lands."

I heard Colette sigh quietly. "I humbly accept this task."

Remiel smiled. "Very good. We of Cruxis shall grant you the power of the angels with each seal you unlock. Once you are reborn as an angel the eroded world shall be regenerated."

Colette slipped her hand out of mine so she could grasp them both in front of her chest. "Thank you. I swear on my life I will regenerate the world." Kind of a meaningless promise if you know you're going to die.

Remiel nodded. "First head south to the seal of fire. Offer your prayers and that distant land."

"Yes lord Remiel." Colette looked down slightly.

Remiel flew upwards and was encased in a bright golden light just as he was about to disappear he said, "First head to the seal of fire. I will await you there, Chosen of Regeneration."

I glared at the ceiling for a second before I turned to Colette and grinned.

Kratos huffed and stepped away from the wall. "You've received the oracle. Then let us leave now, Chosen."

Colette seemed to come out of deep thoughts. "Oh. Yes. Come on guys, let's go to my house."

We nod and the five of us all leave the room.


	5. Chapter 5

Kenegi: _Why is earth element gravity?_ This is a very good question and is not something I thought to explain before now, sorry everyone.

It's not that earth is gravity, it's that gravity is an aspect of earth. I got that impression from the scene when you're fleeing Welgaia and you get to that anti-gravity room, the following scene occurs.

Lloyd\- *floats* Whoa, I'm floating!  
Raine\- So this is weightlessness...  
Lloyd\- What's that?  
Genis\- Well, on the ground the mana from Gnome, the summon spirit of earth gives rise to the effect known as gravity  
Raine\- The reason we fall to the ground from high places is because Gnome's power pulls at us. But this place is so far away from the ground that gnome's power doesn't reach.  
Lloyd\- And so we float like this. He had an annoying attitude but I guess Gnome's a pretty important summon spirit.

The spell **Gravity well** is also classed under Earth spells. I can imitate earth spells without manipulating gravity but I can't manipulate gravity without using earth mana.

Hope that cleared that up. Sorry I didn't explain it until now.

* * *

As we all leave the room we see Raine in the temple entry way.

"Marvellous!"

We walk up to her. I blinked. Her eyes were all sparkly. Sparkle sparkle. "Um... Raine?"

Raine turned around and saw us. "Oh. Hello you four." She paused for a moment before glaring at Genis, Lloyd and Colette. "What are you three doing here? You are supposed to be studying in class?"

I point up. "Oh, you know, the oracle. I came here to guard the temple after I took out a bunch of Desians at the village entrance. I came here to take out the few that slipped past me. When I got here, these three were at the bottom of the stairs. Considering the oracle is here for Colette it makes sense for Colette to be here. Lloyd and Genis came as guards. And Spiky here tagged along too. He didn't really do much of anything. He mostly just stood at the back of the group watching."

Raine blinked. "You set fire to everything before it had a chance to see you didn't you?"

I blush. "Maybe... ok yes, we did. But... Fire!"

Raine sighed. "You are such a pyromaniac. Never the less, you should get back to the village."

I nodded. "Yeah, I need to see if anyone was injured when those Desians came through earlier. What are you doing here anyway?"

Raine smiled and her eyes got all sparkly. "I've received permission from Phaidra to study this temple a little while longer. It's not often ordinary citizens have the opportunity to enter this place."

I nod. "Well, that's understandable. Have fun."

Raine nodded and dismissed me with a wave of her hand. She walked up to a wall. "Just look at this architecture! Magnificent!"

Lloyd shrugged at me and we all left the building. As we were walking away we heard maniac laughter from inside.

I blink.

Lloyd looked between Genis and the temple for a moment. "Um... Genis?"

He hung his head. "It's better if you pretend you don't hear it."

I nod and we carry on back to the village.

I looked to the others. "I'm gonna go and see if anyone around the village needs help. I'll come by when I'm done."

Colette nodded. "Okay. We'll see you in a few minutes."

I took a quick check over the village and stopped by the hospital. There were a few injuries but no deaths from inside the village. A few of the priests were dead but thanks to Lloyd and Raine most of them survived. I healed a few people but most of the villagers didn't like healing magic, which was why they had to heal naturally.

I headed back over to Colette's house and heard arguing from inside. I opened the door and scowled at everyone. No one had a weapon drawn so I bowed to Frank. "Sumimasen." _Excuse me_.

He nodded back at me. "Glad you arrived when you did Drake. It was about to get messy in here."

I narrowed my eyes and looked at Lloyd. I didn't shout. I didn't glare. I just stared. Lloyd ducked his head and looked up at me before staring at the floor. He looked up moments later and stared at the floor again. The second time he looked up he broke. "I'm sorry!"

I smiled and nodded. "Why were you shouting?"

Lloyd sighed. "The mayor is saying that I can't go on the journey with Colette."

I nodded. "And what are your reasons for wanting to go?"

Lloyd looked up and stared me straight in the eye. "I want to be there to protect Colette. I'm one of the two best soldiers in the village. I can protect Colette better than anyone else. I want to be there to make sure Colette is okay, that she doesn't neglect her own needs for the good of the world. She's always saying she's fine when she's not. She was really sick once and didn't tell anyone until she collapsed in the middle of the street. I know Colette better than anyone except for Frank and Phaidra." Lloyd turned and inclined his head to them both before turning back to me.

I nodded and turned to the Mayor. "And what are your reasons for denying him?"

The mayor puffed up but I glared at him and he settled back down. "He's a boy. He can't protect the chosen."

I tilted my head. "You know Lloyd is one of the two best soldiers in the village. You have made it no secret you hate him, you are always trying to get him in trouble." I turned to Frank. "Who have you decided will go with Colette?"

The mayor sneered at me. "I hardly see why you need to know!"

I glared at him. "Watch your tone mister. You may be the mayor but I don't live in Iselia... oh... that's your problem with Lloyd isn't it? Lloyd doesn't live inside the village. He's an external factor that influences things inside the village and has an effect on the village but isn't a part of it. You are scared he's going to do something to jeopardise the village."

He nodded. "He's unpredictable. That's why I can't send him off with the chosen."

I raised my eyebrow. "I see... and yet you would be willing to send her off with a complete stranger with unknown intentions." I turned to Kratos. "No offence, Mr We-Have-No-Idea-What-You're-Planning."

Kratos rolled his eyes and huffed quietly but otherwise didn't seem bothered. I turned back to the mayor. "Besides which, it is not up to you to choose who gets to go with Colette. It is up to her, her immediate family and the head of the temple, who just so happens to be her grandmother. So unless you are suddenly married to Colette, you have no right to be here. Leave."

The mayor glared at me and looked like he was about to protest. I turned to Lloyd who grinned and walked over to the mayor. He picked him up with one arm, carried him outside and dropped him on the floor, shutting the door on the way back in. I turned back to Frank, Colette and Phaidra. "Who have you decided on so far?"

The three of them looked to each other for a few moments before turning back to me. "We think it would be best if you, Raine and Mr Aurion go with Colette."

I nodded. When Lloyd protested I gently took him to the side. Whispering low enough that he could hear me but Genis couldn't. "Lloyd, Genis is too young and inexperienced to come with us. He still has a childhood innocence that I would very much like to preserve. He can't come and without Raine, me or Colette here the only one he would have to stop people doing anything would be you. If you leave too then people will try something. They'll hurt him. You know he's an elf. People don't like that. I need you here to protect Genis. Don't worry. I'll protect Colette. I'm one of the two best swordsmen in the village right?"

Lloyd sighed. "I want to come. I have to protect Colette. She's my sister."

I sighed. "Look. If you're worried about Spiky I can tell you he has no ill intentions towards Colette. I have a sixth sense about this kind of thing. I know when someone cannot be trusted. Please, I need you here to look after Genis. Please."

Lloyd looked at Genis who was fiddling with the ball of his kendama. "Okay... for Genis..."

I smiled gently and gave Lloyd a bro-hug. "Thank you." I turned back to the others. "What time do we leave?"

Frank smiled. "Early in the morning. Some time near sun up if possible."

I nodded. "Alright. Is there anything else we need to sort out?"

Frank nodded and we all sat down to have a very boring conversation about things and stuff. Lloyd and Genis left not long after we started. I don't blame them really. Finally, after about an hour and a half, we had everything sorted out. I stood up and stretched. I glanced to my side and saw Kratos staring at my chest with a look of calculation. I glared at him. "Hey, my face is up here." I pointed my index and middle fingers of my right hand at my boobs and lifted them to my face.

Kratos glared at me.

I huffed and turned to Frank. "I won't let anything happen to Colette. Don't worry. I know I can't stop what the ritual will do to her, I know what will happen when we get to the tower, but I can promise you that we will get there. I won't let anything happen to her."

Frank smiled at me. "Thank you, son."

Colette smiled and stepped forwards to hug me but I stepped back. She clasped her hands in front of her chest. "Thank you, Drake. I know I can count on you."

I smiled and nodded. For someone like me, _not_ hugging people was really hard. I was a very tactile person but I didn't want anyone knowing I'm a girl. I can't risk anyone feeling my lady lumps and figuring it out. I couldn't bear the rejection when they find out what a freak I am. I hugged Lloyd all the time, we were always getting physical but I couldn't let anyone else know. I couldn't let them find out.

They would hate me.

I smiled. "You're practically family, Colette. I would do anything for you. You know that." Colette giggled and nodded. I ruffled her hair. "Anyway, I have to go pack. I'll see you tomorrow, right?"

Colette nodded. "Sure. Oh! Wait, can I come with you? I want to talk to Lloyd."

I glanced at Frank who nodded. "Sure."

Kratos stood. "I will come too."

I looked at him for a moment before nodding. "Sure. You can escort Colette back to the village with Raine and Genis." I left and Colette followed. I took a glance around with my mana. "Looks like Raine is home, Genis is heading there." Kratos looked curiously at me but didn't comment.

It took about twenty minutes to walk through the village. When Genis and Raine moved in the mayor had a house built on the extreme edge of the village on the opposite end to Colette's house so the two of them were as far as possible from the chosen and everyone else while still being part of the village.

Stupid racist.

When we got there Raine was standing outside the house holding onto Genis' shoulders. "Calm down, Genis. Tell me what happened."

I frowned. "Genis? Where's Lloyd?"

Genis looked over. "Lloyd and I went to the ranch." The rest of what he was about to say was cut off as Raine smacked him around the head. "OW! I'm sorry! I know I shouldn't have! I'm sorry!"

I stepped over. "Raine. Hitting him will not get him to tell us what happened faster." I looked down at the quivering half-elf. "Genis, tell us what happened."

He took a deep breath and explained it to us. "So... what now?"

I sighed. "I suggest we go and see Lloyd. We were planning to anyway. Come on." I turned and led the way through the forest. When we got level with the ranch I paused for a second. I glanced between the ranch and Kratos before carrying on walking. For a second I had considered asking Kratos to pull rank and ask them not to destroy the village.

I could explain how I knew he was an angel. I can sense mana.

I could explain how I knew he worked for Cruxis. All angels work for Cruxis, it's the heavenly organisation.

I couldn't explain how I knew that Cruxis and the Desians were the same thing.

Not without explaining everything else.

I saw the look Kratos was giving me. He suspected something. He saw me hesitate. Uh oh... must think of excuse!

We came upon Lloyd's house soon enough. It always worried me how close it was to the ranch. Why did Dirk build it so close?!

We heard Lloyd and Dirk shouting at each other inside. My eyes widened when I realised they mentioned Lloyd's mom. I had lived with them for two years and they never mentioned her. Lloyd greeted her every morning and said goodbye before he left for school and hello when he came home but... they never talked about her...

"AH! You don't have to hit me!" Lloyd stormed out the door and froze when he spotted us. "Let me guess... you heard that just now?"

I stepped forwards and examined Lloyd's jaw. "Yeah. You okay?"

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah. He didn't hit me that hard."

I nodded. "Alright. Wait out here a moment." I stormed into the house and slammed the door behind me. I stepped up to Dirk slowly. "Good evening, Dirk." I began, almost pleasantly but with a hint of a threat in my tone.

"Good evenin' lad." He looked wary. Good.

"I hear you and Lloyd had a... disagreement."

Dirk looked decidedly uncomfortable now. "Aye."

I smirked. "And you hit him."

Dirk bit his lip. "Aye. Ah did."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "You know what I think about that, Dirk."

He looked at me. "Lad, ya can't tell me how ta raise ma son."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I was a professional in child care before I arrived here, Dirk. I know more about kids then you do."

He snorted. "Oh, and how much is that?"

I smirked. "Do you know about ventral suspension? The asymmetrical tonic neck reflux? What age long term memory kicks in? How far children can see as they get older? Physical, social, cognitive, emotional and moral development? Internal and external factors of development? The psychoanalytic theory of psychosocial development? Classical conditioning? Attachment theory?"

Dirk looked away for a moment. "No. No, ah don't know about any of them fancy technical things." He looked back at me, eyes full of determination. "But ah know Lloyd. Ah've known him longer than you. Ah know him _better_ than you. Ya can't tell me how ta raise ma son."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I'm not telling you how to raise your son. I'm telling you not to hit him!" I glared at him for a moment before sighing and standing up fully, looking off to one side, my eyes fogged over slightly as I saw things that weren't there. "I've seen too many cases of people hitting their children... I've seen what it can do... to the child... I... I don't want Lloyd to go through that... I know how easily one hit can turn into more... turn into something else... how easily it gets out of control..."

Dirk looked up at me curiously. "Ah'm not gonna hurt him."

I looked over at him, not really seeing him. "But can you say that? You do hit him... a lot... you deny him food sometimes... it's so easy for one thing to turn into something else... to get worse... to turn into something completely different... I know how easy it is to go too far without meaning to..." I shook my head. "I have no one but Lloyd... not really... I don't want to see him end up like those other children..." I closed my eyes and practically whispered. "Like me..."

I shook my head and turned around, heading back to the door. "Don't hurt him... please... he's all I've got... I need him more than you can imagine... more than you could possibly think... could ever know..." I blinked my eyes, my vision getting fuzzy and left. I nodded to Lloyd who was over by his mother's grave with Kratos and sprinted to our clearing.

I dropped to my knees. "Sweet Martel... what is wrong with me..." I rubbed at my eyes and shook my head. It's not like I was physically abused... the emotional and mental abuse was bad enough though... and my 'condition'. My mum hurt me without even knowing it most of the time... the things she said... she didn't know how wrong she was and how much her words hurt me...

Grace knew.

But sometimes she forgot...

It was easy to forget... it wasn't something obvious...

Gah, look at me, going on like this. You don't want to hear me complain about my life.

I sat there for a while. Just trying to clear my head. I heard footsteps and saw Lloyd coming over. He sat next to me and I buried my face in his shoulder. I'm such a wimp... such a weak person. How am I going to survive this journey? I eventually got myself under control and pulled away from Lloyd. "Thanks Red." I sniffled and rubbed at my eyes, wiping away the remaining tears.

Lloyd gently placed a hand on my shoulder. "You okay?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I'm' fine... thanks... for everything." I smiled up at his oblivious expression. Oh, he had no idea. No clue how much he meant to me. I laughed quietly to myself. "I'm a mess. Sorry. Have you spoken to Colette?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm gonna see you guys off tomorrow morning. You leave at dawn right?"

I nodded. "Yeah... have the other's gone back yet?"

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah. You coming back?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Just give me a few minutes. I'll be in soon, I just... need a moment."

Lloyd nodded. "You being all emotional again? I thought you finished that week last week? Or was I wrong?"

I glared at him. Oh, if looks would kill. "Never ask a girl if she's on her period. Especially if you know you're wrong."

Lloyd paled and jumped to his feet. "Sorry! Sorry! I won't ask ever again! Sorry!" he turned and ran back the way he came.

I looked down at my lap and sighed. I sat out there for a few minutes before I stood up and went back home.

Home?

Since when do I call Lloyd's house home? Do I have that right? I've lived there for two years but is it really home? Or is my home on earth?

I don't even know anymore.

I crossed the small stream and walked up to the house. I knocked once on the door before I walked in. I always do that. Lloyd and Dirk where sitting at the table eating. Lloyd grinned up at me. "Hey, Dragon. Welcome back."

I smiled. "Tadaima." _I'm back._ "What are we having?" I walked over at sat down.

Dirk grinned. "Beef stew."

I nodded and plated some up from the pot in the middle of the table. It was alright. Nothing on my mom's though. After dinner I did the dishes (since it was my turn and I usually took the longest to eat anyway) and went up to my room. No. Not my room. The guest room I was using for now. I rummaged through my bag and wingpack and sorted out my belongings for the journey.

Once that was done I sat on the bed and pulled out the necklace Lloyd had made me. It was a simple steel chain with nine different gems attached in a steel clasp at even intervals on the front. The one in the middle was twice the size of the others and about the size of my thumb.

The one in the middle was a diamond and the eight around the edge was each of the crystals that correspond with each element. It had taken me and Lloyd a few weeks to figure out which ones were aligned to each element. After we had discovered mana could be stored in crystals we tried to figure out which ones worked best with each element. This way I could store up mana in lots of different elements to use for magic since my body didn't store any for me to use.

Lloyd had given me the necklace on the anniversary of the first year I had spent living here since I refused to tell anyone when my birthday was. I didn't celebrate it so I didn't see a need for them to know when it was. To tell you the truth I have always hated my birthday, even when I was very young. It took years before my parents realised the reason my depression got worse around my birthday was _because of my birthday_.

Yes, I had depression as a young child.

I made lists of everything that was wrong with my life.

What six year old _does that_?

Sorry, I'm ranting again. Honestly, what is wrong with me today?

I channelled some mana into each of the gems before going to sleep, thankful that I still could. I knew that Lloyd was in his room across the hall, waiting for his dad to fall asleep so he could sneak out and waste the hours training or woodcarving. He couldn't sleep anymore...

I closed my eyes. It was partially my fault... he found out about me channelling mana and started pushing mana into his Exsphere. His Exsphere, which was part of the Angelus project. He turned it into a Cruxis Crystal... I sighed and turned over. I had a long day tomorrow. Staying awake and feeling guilty about Lloyd was not going to help me at all.

Morning came much too soon, especially since Lloyd and I had to leave long before dawn to get to the village on time. When Lloyd went out to wake up Noishe Dirk turned to me. "Lass... what ya said yesterday..."

I shook my head. "It's nothing. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have spoken to you like that. I apologise." I bowed to him. "Shitsurei shimashita." _I'm very sorry_. I turned and walked away, ending the conversation. I didn't want to hear what he had to say. I couldn't hear it. Whatever he would say would have me crying again and I wanted to avoid that.

I am such a wuss.

Lloyd came over with Noishe and the three of us went through the forest. Lloyd and Noishe had a good laugh when I ran headfirst into a pigeon. Stupid bird came out of nowhere.

We got to the village and I made a quick stop at the item shop to buy some more gels. Just to be on the safe side. Lloyd went to meet up with Raine and Genis at their house while I went to Colette's house. We all met up at the village entrance where the whole village had gathered to wave us off.

I pulled Colette's present out of my bag. "Hey, Colette. I forgot to give this to you yesterday. I meant to give it to you after school but... oracle happened... I thought I'd give it to you later but stuff happened so... yeah."

Colette smiled at me. "Oh, that's okay." she clasped her hands in front of her chest and I spotted the chain of the necklace Lloyd had made her. Since he couldn't sleep anymore he needed something to do at night so he made jewellery and other things. I stocked most of them in my wingpack and planned to sell them if I needed to.

I passed Colette my gift. It was a picture in a simple frame of her, Lloyd, me, Genis, Raine, Frank, Phaidra and Dirk. Dirk made the frame. She smiled at me. "Thank you so much." I grinned and showed her how to slide the picture out. On the back was a short poem. Colette read it and smiled gently before looking back up at me. "Thank you, Drake. This means a lot to me."

I bowed my head. "And you mean a lot to me. It's was the least I could do."

Raine looked over Colette's shoulder to read the poem and smiled. "That must have taken you a while."

I huffed in mock indignation but didn't protest. It had. I had terrible handwriting anyway. It had taken me ages to write that message since I wanted to be sure I wrote it perfectly. I turned around and walked over to Kratos. Colette and Raine turned to Lloyd and Genis to say goodbye.

Several people looked a bit upset that Lloyd and Genis were staying. I glared at them and gave a pointed look to Raine which she chose to ignore. I tried to stay back with Kratos while the others said goodbye. Lloyd and Genis didn't let me get out of it though. They insisted on me saying goodbye. It was easier than I thought it would be since I knew we would be seeing each other again soon.

As we walked away though... it was almost physically painful. I held back a gasp and rubbed at my chest. Why did it hurt this much?

I was really attached to Lloyd. While the two of us acted like a couple sometimes there was nothing romantic between us. We were more like siblings, despite the age gap. I depended on Lloyd. In fact... he was the only reason I'm alive.

And not only because he saved me from drowning the day we met.

A few years ago, a few years before I came to this world, I got very badly depressed. I had been thinking about suicide for years but during that time I was honestly contemplating it. I had even figured out when, where and how to do it. I had planned out the note I would write and had organised everything else out. I didn't have any big assets so it wasn't like I would need a will. Everything would go to my family anyway.

But then, a few days before I was going to do it I picked up tales of Symphonia and I was like, "_hey, why not? This was a fun game and I still haven't finished it yet. May as well._" As I played it I got to the scene with Origin. It got me thinking.

Perhaps my life was worth something too.

I decided to put it off for a while and replayed Symphonia.

The more I played, the more I began to believe in Lloyd and his ideals. That maybe my life was worth something just because I was born. I could practically remember the scene at origin's seal word for word...

"_You stupid jerk! You can die any time! But when you die, that's the end!"  
_"_You want him to live in eternal damnation?"  
_"_Who said anything like that?! What will you accomplish by dying? Nothing! There is no meaning in dying!"_

And over time... I could imagine Lloyd saying those things to me.

"_I know this is tough for you, but it won't be for much longer. Please. Don't throw your life away like this. You still have your whole life ahead of you. You won't accomplish anything by killing yourself. Please. Don't do it. This isn't something worth killing yourself over. Just keep living! You're not a freak! You're not a waste of space! You're not a burden! Please! Don't kill yourself!_"

I heard it every morning when I woke up. I thought it to myself every day, so I wouldn't be tempted again. And I wasn't. It's been years since then and while I have been tempted and thought about it, I never actually planned it.

"DRAKE!"

I snapped my head up and quickly pulled out my sword. This was no time to get distracted by the past. "Sorry!" I ran forward and attacked one of the wolves that were charging at us. Kratos and I easily dispatched them.

Kratos glared at me. "Don't let yourself get distracted!"

I nodded. "I know. I'm sorry. I need to pay attention. It won't happen again." I glanced at Colette and Raine. The monsters didn't even get that far. I shook my head. "It won't happen again. Sorry." We carried on walking and I charged some of my crystals to keep me focused.

I could only really stock up on light during the day and dark at night. I had to stock up on as much ice and water mana as I could. We would be going through the desert soon and I knew I wouldn't be able to get any ice or water mana there.

At around noon I froze and turned around.

There was huge amounts of mana being released from north of us. Iselia.

"Drake?"

I glanced at the others. If I told them what was happening at Iselia they would worry. They wouldn't be able to concentrate... ignorance is bliss. I shook my head. "Nothing. I thought I heard something. Never mind."

We got to the house of salvation by nightfall and spent the night in their best rooms. They were tastefully designed. Not too extravagant and not to plain. There was a potted plant by the window and the two beds in each room were soft and comfortable, the sheets a lovely pale cream with soft blue highlights. There was just one problem.

I had to share with Kratos.

It was awkward.

In the morning we had to get proper desert attire and some extra water skins. I was very happy with the steam punk style goggles and decided to wear them from now on since they looked just like the pair my sister owned.

When the other's left the room I turned to the guy who gave us our stuff, "If you see a dual swordsman in red, Lloyd Irving, and a silver haired elf child, Genis Sage, they're with us. We will be meting them in Triet."

The man nodded. "Alright. I'll keep my eye out for them."

I nodded and left, jogging over to the others. "Hey, sorry about that. Let's keep moving, yeah?"

Kratos sighed and led the way.

This was going to be a long journey.

I hope Genis and Lloyd are okay and meet up with us soon...

Mind you... Lloyd didn't have his provisions since he wasn't planning on leaving... he hadn't even said goodbye to his dad...

I hope they're okay...

I shook my head and looked over the vast desert looming on the horizon. I could see the heat waves from here. The four of us had on thick, heavy desert cloaks complete with hood. Now, I had a slight problem. My body has always had trouble regulating its own temperature. It was mostly the cold that affected me but the heat did it too. To combat this I was almost completely naked under my coat.

I was wearing boxers and a thin pair of trousers.

My top half was bare.

This meant that if my cloak opened up I would be completely on display. Thankfully the cloak was easy to fasten shut and it had sleeves and all that.

The four of us made good time to the desert. I could feel the heat before we had even reached the sand.

Ugh...

I hate heat...

I went to the south of Spain and Portugal. They didn't compare.

We trudged through the sand and I charged my Ruby with fire mana. We would need it later so I may as well charge it now while there is plenty in the air.

We trudged for a few hours and I was glad to see a desert village appear on the horizon.

Raine sighed. "Drake, please tell me that's not a mirage."

I smiled. "It's real. I sense spots of mana there that are definitely human."

Kratos looked at me. "What do you mean?"

I smiled. "I was born without mana. My body doesn't produce it like everyone else but that also means I can sense it around me much stronger than anyone else. It's a bit overwhelming at times but it's pretty helpful."

Kratos nodded but then he frowned. "Then how come you can use magic?"

I smiled and shrugged. "I don't know. By all rights I shouldn't be able to. I think that since I don't have mana in me naturally it means I can use the mana in the world around me." I shrugged again. "It's just speculation really."

Kratos nodded. "Let's hurry to the village. We can find shelter for the mid-day hours and head out again once the worst of the heat has passed."

I nodded and we all headed towards the village. Hopefully they were friendly.

* * *

That's it for this month. If you want more frequent updates you will have to vote on the poll on my profile, story in first place gets updated every two weeks, the other's on the first Sunday of each month until I have a clearer schedule.

If you have any questions about the story or my logic then please, leave it in a review and I will answer it at the top of the next chapter as well as on my facebook page (link is on my profile).

Please read/review/like/follow or any combination of them.

Your love makes me write faster.


	6. Chapter 6

SURPRISE CHAPTER!

It's my 21st to day so chapters all around!

Chapter warnings: Gore, possible trigger warnings and YuanXLloyd action (kind of, you'll see.)

* * *

The desert village was not what I was expecting but in hind sight, I should have been.

Everyone was black.

I mentally huffed. Of course they were, it was a desert. It looked like Africa actually. They even got around via an animal that looked kind of like a camel. We decided not to get any since we would be unable to fight from on top of them and the stupid animals would run away from monsters. It was more for the natives than anything else.

We spent the night there and set out a few hours before dawn.

Ugh... sand... walking... heat... nothing of interest happened for ages.

We eventually ran into some monsters and Kratos and I ran forward. I easily took care of one hawk and Colette's chakram took out the other. I sheathed my katana and drew the wakisashi and tanto. I threw the tanto at a scorpion that had been sneaking up behind Raine. The hilt bounced off its head but at least I had its attention. I took it out easily with my wakisashi and picked up my tanto in time to see Kratos dispatch the sidewinder, having already taken out the two wolves.

We carried on walking.

Kratos looked sideways at me. "Drake, I have noticed you use three swords. Why is that?"

I shrugged. "I use different weapons depending on the situation. I use the katana against flying opponents and the wakisashi and tanto if I need to get close, otherwise I use either the katana or the wakisashi and tanto."

Kratos nodded. "I see. How did you come by them? They are not weapons I have seen before."

"Dirk made them for me. The blacksmith in Luin made me some but they were destroyed when I came to Iselia."

He raised his eyebrow at me. "What do you mean?"

I smirked. "I was on a transport ship from Palmacosta. There was a huge storm and the ship went down. I washed up near Iselia and Lloyd ended up having to give me CPR. He saved my life. Most of my stuff was water damaged, including my swords, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be replaced."

Kratos smiled for a second before he schooled his features. "Lloyd seems like a good kid."

I nodded. "He's one of the best people I know."

We walked in silence for a little while longer before Raine spoke up. "Colette, have you had anything to drink in a while? You need to be careful in a desert."

Colette nodded. "Okay. You have some too, okay?"

Raine nodded. "We need to make you our priority, Colette."

A laughed quietly. "Raine, we have plenty of water and I have a few canteens in my wingpack. We'll be fine until we get to Triet but if you get heat stroke and pass out, we'll be in a lot of trouble. You drink some too."

Raine nodded. "Alright. I keep forgetting you have a wingpack."

Kratos frowned. "A wingpack?"

I nodded. "Desian technology. I was lucky really. I found myself out by the Asguard ranch once, I took out the three Desians there and one of them had a wingpack. I also took his Exsphere." I lifted my hand to show him the red gem on the back. "A wingpack is like a bottomless, weightless bag. It's really cool."

Kratos frowned and hummed but dropped the subject.

We settled down under a white sheet for the midday hours and had a small bite to eat. Colette and Raine had a nap. I glanced sideways at Kratos and realised he was giving me a funny look again. I frowned at him. "What?" I muttered. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

Kratos was silent for a moment but I knew his type. Not in person but from books and such. He was just thinking how to answer. Sure enough, after a few moments of silence he spoke up. "The day before we left Iselia, as we were walking past the ranch, you glanced between me and the ranch. Why?"

I looked pointedly at Colette and Raine. "No reason. Just thinking to myself."

Kratos seemed to get my hint and dropped the subject. For now.

Several hours later had us booking two rooms at the inn at another desert village. We would reach Triet by tomorrow night. When Kratos and I retired to our room for the night I sat on my bed. "I told you I can sense mana right?" He nodded. "That means I can sense _what_ people are by their mana. I know you're an angel. Your mana was too similar to Remiel for you not to be. That was why I looked between you and the ranch. Just thinking about why Cruxis hasn't destroyed them yet if they have people like you with them."

Kratos narrowed his eyes at me.

I sighed. "I won't tell anyone. It's your secret. You have your reasons for not saying anything and I respect that."

Kratos huffed and signalled the end of the conversation. He stood up and left the room to get ready for bed. I stripped down and slid under the sheets. This would be the third time we shared a room. I am surprised he hadn't mentioned anything about me being female, though I guess he wouldn't want to be a hypocrite.

I'm not telling anyone he's an angel; he's not telling anyone I'm a woman.

Fair deal, I suppose.

Morning came and Kratos left the room early and I slid out of bed and drew my cloak. After a quick (and small) breakfast the four of us left for Triet. Not many monsters attacked but a few bandits did.

Kratos looked sideways at me again. "You have trouble taking down human opponents."

I grimaced. "Yeah. I can take them down but I can't take them out. I physically can't put all my power behind my attacks, even though I want to."

Kratos glared at me. "If you want to be useful you are going to have to get over it. This journey is no time to have such a huge weakness."

I nodded. "I know. I'm working on it. I rarely ever have to cause harm to another person though. I can spar with people just fine but trying to kill them? I just can't. I'm sorry. I won't hesitate to kill someone if I absolutely need too but I can't take the life of every bandit we come across." I looked down at my feet. "No one should have to bear the burden of taking a life."

We carried on in silence until lunch. As I was preparing the food Kratos looked at me again. "I have noticed that you have done all the cooking thus far."

I nodded. "If Raine cooks we'll all die."

"HEY!"

I carried on as if I hadn't been interrupted. "And Colette only knows dishes that involve fruit. I don't know whether or not you know how to cook though."

Kratos nodded. "I am a mercenary, I have to prepare my own food while travelling."

I nodded. "So you and I are the only ones here who can cook."

After lunch we rested for a while until the worst of the heat had passed and we carried on. We got to Triet just as the sun was setting. We got another two rooms and headed up to bed for the night. Again, Kratos left the room to get ready so I was able to change in our room.

We woke in the morning and settle down in the living area of the inn. Kratos looked us over. "Drake, you and Miss Raine go and gather more supplies. The chosen and I will go and search for clues on where the seal would be."

I blinked. "Well-"

Raine interrupted me. "I think you should go with Drake and I will go with Colette."

I looked between the two of them. "Actually-"

Kratos huffed. "I was hired to protect the chosen, I cannot very well do that if I am in a different part of the city."

Raine glared. "I am not leaving my daughter alone with you."

Kratos raised an eyebrow. "Daughter?" He looked at Raine.

Raine smiled. "Yes, we formed a make-shift family. I am the mother, Lloyd, Genis and Colette are my children, Dirk and Frank are their fathers, Phaidra is their grandmother and Drake is the crazy, childish Uncle."

I nodded. "It was my idea to put words to it but the relationship was there to begin with."

Kratos hummed as if he really couldn't care less, though I could see some kind of emotion in his eyes, though I couldn't really tell what it was. He masked it up quickly enough.

I sighed. "I will go get supplies by myself, you three can stay together but-"

Kratos and Raine then started debating that together and not letting me into the conversation again. We eventually agreed on my plan and the three of them left before I could bring up the Triet ruins. I sighed and went out to the town plaza. It would be closed at mid-day but was open from just before dawn to just after dusk.

I bought some thicker clothes for each of us, including Lloyd and Genis (especially Genis) and stocked up on food and items. I re-filled the canteens and had the rest of the day to myself. I looked around the weapons store but my swords were better than what they had in stock. I sold them the daggers that I stole of the bandits we fought earlier though. They didn't sell for much but hey, free money.

It was coming close to evening when I walked back to the inn. I had done some odd jobs around the city to earn a few hundred gald. I spotted Lloyd and Genis over by the north entrance. I walked over just as Lloyd was nailed in the back with a ball of lightning. I sighed. Same old Lloyd.

As I walked closer Noishe came out of the stable. I poked my head around the door and spotted the stable hand. "Hey, kid. Go into the inn and tell the man in purple that Lloyd and Genis have been captured by Desians and Drake is following them." The boy nodded and I went back to Noishe. The two of us followed the 'Desians' who had captured Lloyd and dragged Genis along for the ride. It was close to dawn when they arrived at the ranch.

I hid with Noishe while the scene with Genis played out. When Genis came over I lifted him up and put him on Noishe. "Noishe will take you to the others." I tapped the Arshis on the rump and he ran off. I turned back to the ranch. I took a deep breath and snuck closer. I charged forwards and knocked out both guards. I stole the key card from one and unlocked the door. I snuck inside and spotted a door not too far away. I held my breath and opened it.

I slipped inside with a silent cheer. A store cupboard. Not just any store cupboard, one for uniform! I stole two of the male uniforms though it was a struggle to get the chest plate on and still be able to breathe... I had to take my bra off. Both uniforms looked fairly new and didn't have any defining markings of rank. Perfect for infiltration.

Not many people pay attention to the new recruits and it takes a while to learn a new face, so they would brush me off as a new guy they haven't seen yet.

I put a dagger and short sword at my belt and prayed that I could pull this off. I slipped back out of the room and walked down the corridor. I got close to the cell block when a soldier came up to me.

He looked me up and down. "Hey, newbie. You just back?" I nodded silently. "Go to the prison cell. Lord Botta is asking for James and he's on duty there. You go and relieve him."

I nodded and set off in the direction he pointed. I found the cell block easily enough. I slid inside and walked up to the two guards. "Lord Botta is looking for you. I can take over here."

The two nodded and left. I smirked. "Lloyd? You here?"

Silence. "Drake?"

I smirked. "Yeah. Hang on, I'll get you out." I walked over and pressed the release button on the mechanism at the control panel. The doors all slid open and Lloyd came over. He stopped dead and stared at me. "Yes, I'm in a Desian uniform. Here's your disguise, get changed while I rummage through these draws." I closed the cell doors and rummaged through the draws.

I stuffed everything I could find in my wingpack. I would go over them later. Lloyd found his equipment and I kept hold of his swords for now. I had stolen two for him to use. They were less recognisable than his own. Just as we were about to leave a loud alarm blared. We put our helmets on and ran out of the cell block. We spotted two others. One was clearly a higher rank. "Sir, what happened?" I asked.

He looked over at us. "Someone has infiltrated the ranch. You two stay here and guard the prisoner." We nodded and the two of them ran off. I glanced at Lloyd and we ran the other way. A quick look showed the door being heavily guarded. We weren't getting out there.

"We need to find a back door."

Lloyd looked at me. "Back door?"

I nodded. "Everywhere has a back door in case of an invasion. If they need to evacuate they can't only have one door. Let's go find another."

We walked around the ranch for a while, trying to find a back door. I opened the door to a cupboard just as another team came around the corner. They came over. "Why are you looking in the cupboard?"

I rolled my eyes. "The infiltrator might be hiding in it. He doesn't know the ranch, he could be anywhere simply because he got _lost_."

They nodded and helped us search the doors on this corridor before they ran off the way we had come. I hear a crackle on the earpiece I had stolen. "_Attention all units. Two uniforms have been stolen. The perpetrator has also broken a prisoner out of the cell block. We're looking for two human males_."

I glanced at Lloyd and hissed the message to him since he didn't have an ear piece. He nodded and we quickly ran away from where we had just been. Just in time since a message came through right after. "_Both perpetrators are in sector 4, corridor three Alpha, heading towards three Bravo._" I hissed at Lloyd again and we ran further. We went through the door at the end of the corridor and ended up in a room full of soldiers in the middle crouching around a large, holographic 3d map. I glanced at the map and saw a glowing section. It had a large room in the middle with corridors around it. The ranch was almost round with corridors that travelled around it like a spider's web.

I noticed Yuan's office on the map and dragged Lloyd around so out backs where to the corridor they led to it. The leader of the group in the middle looked up at us and smirked. "You two are human."

I smirked and snapped my hand forwards, throwing them all backwards with a powerful blast of wind. I turned and ran. Lloyd followed. We turned a corner and spotted and man and woman with their backs to us and we slid into a door to our side.

Yuan's office.

Lloyd sighed when we heard the troops charge past the door. "Phew. That was close."

I nodded. "Yeah, they almost caught us."

"And just who the hell are you?"

We both turned around and spotted Yuan behind us, glaring, arms crossed in front of him.

We glanced at each other and smirked. "You give us your name and we'll give you ours." Yup. We had practiced that.

Yuan charged up a ball of electricity and aimed it at us. I did the same to him. Yuan laughed. "You certainly have guts. But I'm afraid I don't see the need to introduce myself to a pair of miserable creatures like you."

Lloyd tilted his head to one side. "What a coincidence. 'Cus we don't see the need to introduce ourselves to a moron who doesn't realise how pathetic he is." I nodded in agreement.

Yuan scowled at us. "Why you little!" He charged the sphere of electricity harder and I was sure he was about to throw it. Lloyd defensively raised both hands in front of his face.

A crackle in my ear piece. "_Lord Yuan. Kratos and the chosen have infiltrated the ranch_."

Yuan saw Lloyd's Exsphere and froze. He discharged his electricity ball and took half a step back in shock. I was surprised to see a multitude of emotions run across his face. "An Exsphere? You're... Lloyd!"

"_Lord Yuan? Do you have your ear piece? I'm on my way to your office_."

Lloyd glared at Yuan. "And if I am?"

Yuan shot forwards. He punched me in the gut and threw me into the middle of the room. My ball of electricity impacted a bookcase behind where he had been a second before. He pinned Lloyd against the wall behind him.

Yuan tore Lloyd's helmet off and stared intently at his face. "Hmm... I see the resemblance."

Lloyd narrowed his eyes. "Resemblance to who?"

"STALAGMIGHT!" my spell shot up and hit Yuan right between his legs. He grunted and collapsed against Lloyd, leaning his head in the crook of Lloyd's neck, moaning in pain. His knees gave out and he slumped completely against the twin swordsman, grabbing the stolen uniform in a tight grip.

Botta and two other men came running in at that moment. "Sir! We have received reports... that... Chosen... Sir what are you doing?" Yuan was still moaning and collapsed into Lloyd and I was lying flat on my back, legs splayed, in the middle of the floor of his office. Wow this must look wrong.

I glared at Botta and stood up. "You! You're the one that attacked Iselia!"

Botta turned his head towards me. "Drake. I've been hoping I would see you again..."

Yuan looked up, still lying against Lloyd. "Botta... I'm leaving for now... our plans will be ruined if he sees me." he grunted out through clenched teeth.

Botta turned his attention to his boss. "What of the chosen?"

Yuan smirked. "I'll leave that to you." he stood up straight, pushing himself away from Lloyd enough to be nose-to-nose with him. He whispered. "Lloyd, the next time we meet, you're mine. Just you wait." He went to step backwards but his legs gave out again. Unfortunately for everyone in the room, since his face was so close to Lloyd's he ended up kissing him. I barely held back a laugh. Oh wow. I didn't think moments like this actually happened.

I snickered and choked, trying not to laugh out loud.

Lloyd pushed him away and one of the troops collected him off the floor and assisted (read: carried) him into the room at the back.

Lloyd shuddered and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his uniform. "Ugh... paedophile." He put his helmet back on and moved around to a more defensible position than pressed up against a wall.

I looked at Botta and stood up, circling Botta. "I believe you and I have unfinished business to attend to." I gathered up some mana.

Botta grinned. "Indeed. I believe I owe you for that stalagmite you hit me with."

I blinked and tilted my head. "You mean like this? STALAGMITE!" I shot him in the groin again. He grunted and bent over but I could tell he was wearing a groin protector. "Ah, so you decided to wear a groin guard. Good call."

Just then the doors opened and Genis, Kratos, Raine and Colette came running in. They froze and stared around the room for a second. I turned my head to look at them as I was now only a few feet away from the door.

Botta smirked and stood up straight. "Ah, good. I can take care of everyone at once."

Kratos pulled out his sword and lashed out at me. I barely managed to dodge. "Woah! Easy there Spiky, it's-" He lashed out before I could dodge again. I gasped as the cold metal rammed into me. I glanced at him and his eyes widened as his ruby gaze caught my own aquamarine. I gasped and coughed, my mouth filling with the sharp, metallic taste of blood.

I heard a body hit the ground and saw Lloyd had dispatched Botta's other guard.

I felt gravity pull me down and Kratos' sword slid out of me.

I hit the ground hard. Oh, I hurt... so much... "AHH!"

"DRAKE!" Lloyd tore his helmet off and dropped to his knees next to me. He yanked a life bottle out of his pocket and forced it down my throat before starting casting a healing spell.

Botta started laughing. "Ha Ha Ha! You would even stab your own comrade. How amusing."

Lloyd whipped around and the room started shaking. "SHUT **UP!**" He threw his arm out and Botta flew across the room and slammed into a book case. "THUNDER BLADE!" a bolt of lightning in the shape of a sword shot down from the ceiling and slammed into Botta, lifting him several feet off the ground from the force of the impact.

Lloyd turned back to me and carried on casting healing spells. I shakily reached up and pushed my helmet off. Raine gasped and knelt down next to Lloyd, adding her own spells to his.

I closed my eyes and tried desperately not to pass out. I think the only thing keeping me alive right now is that life bottle. Thank Martel that Raine was better at healing artes now than she was at this point in the game.

I took a deep shuddering breath and realised that Lloyd was pouring mana into the air. I grimaced I tried to get his attention but he wouldn't listen to me. He kept repeating that I would be alright, to hold on, to not waste my breath. I sighed and grabbed the neck of his chest plate and dragged him down, kissing him.

He pulled back and stared at me.

"Mana... leaking... control... yourself..." I gasped out.

Lloyd blinked and closed his eyes, visibly pulling himself, and his mana, together. The suffocating feeling in the air diminished and I found it a bit easier to breath. Especially when Lloyd started casting healing artes again.

I glanced over out the corner of my eye and saw the soldier who had dragged Yuan away, dragging Botta by his ankles through the door. I smirked and tipped my head back. Tired... so tired...

I sighed and closed my eyes. Kratos' voice rang through the silence. "Try to stay awake."

I cracked an eye open and glared at him. "Gllglrolghllrg..." I gargled. Ugh. I tipped my head to the side and spat some blood out, coughing a bit out of my lungs too. I lay still for a moment before throwing up. Blood... so much blood.

Lloyd swore. Raine didn't reprimand him for it. It was nearly ten minutes before I was able to breathe easily. Raine sighed. "That is all we can do for now. We should get to Triet."

Lloyd nodded and picked me up, carrying me bridal style.

Raine walked over and picked up Botta's sword. "Isn't this a..." she shook her head. "Let's go."

I pulled my wingpack out and held it up. Raine put my swords inside it along with Botta's before handing it back. I leant my head against Lloyd and tried not to fall asleep. I could hear his heart thudding wildly in his chest. I must be worrying him.

When we got out of the building he laid me over Noishe and we started off to Triet. We were walking for about three minutes before I passed out.

When I next opened my eyes I was staring up at a ceiling in Triet. I slowly turned my head to one side and saw Lloyd lying on the bed next to mine. We were both still in our Desian uniforms.

"Oh, you're awake."

I turned my head to the other side and saw Raine standing there with a bucket and a wash cloth in one hand and some medical supplied in the other. I smiled up at her. "Hey." I whispered. I glanced at Lloyd. "What's wrong with Lloyd?"

She smiled at me. "He's just suffering mana exhaustion. He'll be fine. I was just about to tend to your wound. We arrived in Triet just a few minutes ago. It took us a moment to convince the inn keeper you two aren't Desians."

I smiled weakly at her and slowly pushed myself into a sitting position. "Sorry. It was easier to find Lloyd wearing a disguise."

Raine nodded and looked at me speculatively. "Why did you kiss Lloyd?"

I blinked, and then I blushed. "I kissed him? When?"

Raine frowned. "How much do you remember?"

I shook my head. "I remember Kratos running me through but after that... nothing."

Raine sighed. "Well, Lloyd, Kratos and I healed you. You kissed Lloyd at one point."

I frowned and tried to remember. I shook my head and took the cloth from her hand. "I can't remember that... I probably had a reason."

Raine looked me over. "It is strange that the life bottle didn't work like it should have. On its own is should have fully healed you in a minute, with the three of us casting healing artes it should have been faster."

I hummed and tilted my head. "How does a life bottle actually work?"

Raine tilted her head. "Well, it takes you mana and... it..."

I nodded. "So there's the problem. I don't have any mana so it couldn't work."

Raine sighed. "That aside, will you let me tend to your wound?"

I shook my head. "I can do it."

Raine sighed. "What do you have against people touching you? You let Lloyd do it. The two of you are all over each other sometimes."

I sighed and looked away from her. "It's complicated... besides... I don't like to be less than fully clothes in the presence of other people."

Raine sighed and patted my shoulder before she left the room. I stripped down and cleaned the blood off my stomach. The wound had closed by now but it still kind of hurt. I pulled some clothes on, making sure my lumps were concealed before I pushed some mana from the air into Lloyd.

He stirred and a moment later woke up. He groaned and stripped out of his Desian uniform, putting his normal clothes on. I put it into my wingpack along with my own, which I had mostly patched up, and we left the room in search of the others. It was not a long search as they were in the room directly opposite us.

Genis looked up from his place on the bed and smiled. "Drake! You're okay."

I smirked at him. "Of course I am kiddo. It will take more than Kratos running me through to take me down. You know that." Raine, Lloyd, Genis and Colette glared at Kratos. "Stab happy mercenaries aside, there are a few things that need doing before we figure out what to do next. We need to do an inventory. What do we have, how many of them do we have and what do we need to get? What spells do each of us know, what are we working on and what do we want to learn? Fighting style, that kind of thing."

Lloyd snickered. "Your fighting style is hitting you opponent in the crouch."

I mock glared at him. "No it's not."

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Drake. Come on."

I rolled my eyes. "So what, I have now nailed Botta in the nards with a stalagmite twice, kicked Kratos in the crotch once and bashed Botta's boss in the balls with a stalagmite once. That doesn't mean that's my fighting style."

I put my bag on the floor and sat cross legged in front of it. I started pulling everything out of it.

It took me nearly five minutes to get everything out, excluding what I brought from earth. Lloyd also began to empty his bag into my growing pile of junk and Genis and Colette emptied out their belongings. Raine sighed and began to sort through her stuff and Kratos just watched, slightly shocked I was hoarding so much.

I blinked up at Raine. "Raine... why do you have Botta's sword?"

She looked up at me. "This crystalline object attached to the hilt. Is this an Exsphere?"

Lloyd and I nodded. Lloyd shrugged. "If we had a Key Crest I could help you equip it."

Raine nodded. "I see. Is there a Key Crest among these materials?" She pulled out a few more items.

Lloyd looked them over. "Um... yeah that." he picked it up. "The crest is half worn. I'll fix it and get back to you. Whatever you do, don't put the Exsphere on your bare skin."

Raine nodded and we went back to sorting out our stuff.

After we had everything in one pile we began to sort through it and put it all into many smaller piles. There were a few awkward moments. Like when Raine picked up the dress Dirk had made for her a year ago and I had forgotten to give to her.

"Drake..." I looked up and blushed lightly when I saw what she was holding. "Why do you have this?"

I laughed nervously. "Actually, it's yours. Dirk made it for you a year ago and I completely forgot to give it to you. It's been in my wingpack this whole time."

Raine raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

I nodded and rummaged in the pile. "Yeah. He made one for Colette too... it's in here somewhere... here." I picked it up and passed it to Colette. "What do you think, Colette?"

Colette looked hers over while Raine scrutinised her own. Colette grinned at me. "I love it! Thank you Drake!"

I shook my head. "It's from Dirk, Colette."

Colette blinked. "Oh, well, I'll have to thank Dirk then."

I nodded and we carried on sorting. I made sure to put my dress in my wingpack before anyone could see it though I think Kratos saw me. He didn't comment, thank Martel! I also managed to get the rest of my clothes packed away without anyone noticing.

A few times one of the others would pick up something I had put in my wingpack and forgotten about. After about half an hour of them questioning me I huffed. "I'm a hoarder, okay? I keep the most random, useless junk because it might be useful at some point in the future. I over prepare for everything!" they backed off after that and I apologised for snapping at them about fifteen minutes later.

Once everything was packed (most of it either in my bag or my wingpack) we looked over what Lloyd and I had taken from the renegades and found a book Botta had written on how to be a renegade. "Huh. So they weren't Desians... Renegades... a group that opposes both Cruxis and the Desians... how curious..."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah... and it turns out that Botta isn't the big boss. He has a boss."

I nodded. "Yeah."

Raine tilted her head. "Did you get his name?"

Lloyd shook his head. "No." He turned to me. "Did you?"

I nodded. "On the intercom, I heard Botta call for 'Lord Yuan'. When he didn't respond Botta said he was coming to his office and then he showed up in the room we were in so I assume that was Yuan."

Kratos narrowed his eyes. "What did he look like?" (Thank Martel he asked when he did, Raine had opened her mouth to speak and I was sure she was going to ask what an intercom was and how I knew the name.)

I smirked. "Well... he was tall, about your height. Pale blue hair pulled back into a ponytail that reached to about the small of his back except for his fringe covering almost the right side of his face until just past his chin leaving the left half of his face clear. He was wearing a grey cape with a red inside and gold trim at the bottom. His weapon of choice was a double edged swallow."

He narrowed his eyes further. "Swallow?"

I pulled out a sheet of paper and a pencil, quickly sketching Yuan's sword.

Kratos frowned. "I see..."

I nodded. "He's a total paedophile."

Lloyd shuddered. "I'm gonna have nightmares for a week."

I looked at Lloyd. We still hadn't told the others about him changing into an angel yet. The others looked at us in confusion so I explained what had happened. Genis rolled on the floor laughing. Kratos looked like he wanted to go out and kill Yuan right that minute. Overprotective-daddy-Kratos was so sweet.

I stood up and stretched, wincing as it pulled the skin on my stomach. "So, where is everybody staying?"

Raine looked up from where she was examining something. "You and Genis are in that room." She pointed to the wall. "I'm in here with Colette and Lloyd and Kratos are in the room opposite."

I nodded and left. I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.

* * *

The next chapters of all my stories may take a while as I find it difficult to work on my mum's computer and my laptop took a flight down the stairs so I have to wait for it to come back.

It may be a while.

Please leave a review or fave or follow this story and if you want more there is a poll on my profile as to which one will be my main focus.


	7. Chapter 7

I didn't get much sleep that night. Genis had some harsh nightmares. He woke barely suppressing a scream the first time. I managed to calm him and get him back off to sleep. The second time he woke up we sat for a while and he told me about what had happened at Iselia.

I comforted him as best I could without hugging him. The third time he woke up Lloyd came in and after Genis had calmed down again he took him for a walk around the city. Genis nodded and slipped some shoes on before padding out of the room. It was at times like this that I realised he was still just a child.

Twelve years old.

I shook my head and went back to sleep. I woke in the morning with an impressive bruise on my stomach and I hurt all over. Considering that the alternative was death I think I got off pretty well. I healed the bruise up and was left with nothing but a scar where Kratos' blade had pierced me.

I went downstairs and walked into the kitchen. Raine was cooking. I walked over and took the red and black satays out of her hands. "These do not go in scrambled eggs." I handed her some grey satay. "Put a little bit of this in." I rummaged around and found some ham. I handed that to her. "Chop and fry, then add it in." I sniffed the milk. "This is gone off." I got some fresh stuff out and put it on the counter. I carefully guided Raine into cooking without adding in extra bits, explaining when I could why adding something would be a bad idea.

By the time we were done we had a passable breakfast. Lloyd, Genis and Colette were sweating as they tried the scrambled eggs (the only part of breakfast I would let Raine near) but relaxed when they realised it was actually quite good.

"See Raine, you are a good cook, you just let your curiosity get the better of you and you do things with... undesirable results. Follow the recopies more until you understand more about different flavours before you try mixing them." Raine nodded and the two of us sat down to eat our own food. After I finished I started on the dishes.

Kratos raised an eyebrow at me. "Is that all you're eating?"

I nodded. "I don't eat much."

Soon enough, the other people staying at the inn came in for breakfast. I spotted a tall blond man in an unusual outfit out the corner of my eye but when I turned around he was gone. Normally I wouldn't notice but this man had a huge amount of mana. He was practically made of it.

A quick glance at Kratos showed he had noticed too. He nodded slightly to me and I slipped out the room. I saw a glimpse of him leaving the inn. I followed silently and saw him disappear around the corner. I trailed him for a while before I felt something slam into me from behind.

I grunted when I landed on the ground and yelped when I felt four points of some kind of weapon jab into my back. It was pressing hard enough to hurt, but not so hard as to rip my cloak or break my skin. "You don't belong here." I twisted my head around enough to see the Wonder Chef behind me, glaring.

I tried to push him away but he swung his giant fork and smashed me in the face, causing me to roll onto my back on the floor. He then kicked me back onto my stomach and jabbed his fork into me again. "Why are you here?!"

I gasped and grit my teeth. "What do you mean?" I hissed.

"Why are you on Sylvarant? You shouldn't be here!"

I gasped when he twisted his fork. "I don't know! I know I don't belong here! I don't know how I got here! I was on a bus and then I ended up in the forest near The Asguard ranch! I swear! I don't know how I got here!"

He growled and twisted his fork. "Do you know what you are doing?"

I whimpered. "No. No. I don't know. Ah! Stop! Please! Whatever I did, I'm sorry!"

He huffed. "You don't know what you did do you?" I whimpered in response but otherwise didn't answer. He sighed heavily and leant more on his fork. "You come into this world and start changing so much... the whole course of history is being thrown off. Luckily enough for you, nothing you've done has affected much outside of your direct influence. So far. Be more careful from now on." He lifted his fork and poofed away. I whimpered and reached behind me to heal the wounds. I slowly stood up and wiped myself down.

I used to like The Wonderchef but really, he's an ass!

I made sure there was no sign of what had just happened and quickly went to the market district. I bought extra supplies and clothes for Lloyd and Genis, as well as sleeping bags and other things you don't think about needing until you need them.

I went back to the inn and found the other's gathered outside. Kratos nodded towards me. "We can finally head out to the seal."

I smiled. "I got enough supplies to last us to the Triet ruins and back. With Lloyd and Genis joining the group I thought I should buy some extra food. Just in case."

Kratos started nodding but froze. "I don't recall saying anything about the Triet ruins..."

I snorted and shook my head. "It was a temple erected to worship Efreet. It would make sense for it to be the seal of fire."

The others just blinked at me for a moment before sighing. Raine shook her head. "Why did you not think to mention this sooner?"

I tilted my head. "When would I have said anything? It was just speculation on my part and we split up before I could say anything since a certain two people were too busy arguing to listen to me. The topic didn't come up at any point after that." Kratos and Raine looked slightly guilty. "I'm the same age as you, Raine, even though I don't look it or act like it most of the time. Despite what you think, I _can_ be responsible sometimes."

Raine sighed. "I'm sorry. We should have listened to you."

I nodded. "It's alright, just please, try to listen to everyone in the future."

Raine nodded, "Well then, let's go."

Colette nodded. "Yes, I'll do my best."

Raine pulled a map out of nowhere. "The Triet ruins are southwest of here. It should take us about four days to get there."

Lloyd fist pumped. "Alright! Let's go check out that seal."

Genis sighed and shrugged. "We'll see if that enthusiasm lasts."

Lloyd chuckled dryly. "I'll be fine. Just you watch!"

Genis and I shared a knowing glance and I smirked. He would be bored before we got there.

Raine pulled something out of her pocket. "Oh, I just remembered. Let me give you this." She stepped closer to Lloyd and handed it to him. "Gathering data on your enemies is useful for protecting the chosen."

Lloyd frowned slightly and looked unsurely up at Raine. "I-I'm going to do it?" he looked honestly surprised that he was being entrusted with this.

Raine nodded. "I'll help too. Just think of it as homework."

Lloyd scrunched up his face. "Eww."

Kratos made a face. He looked disappointed and slightly insulted. "We should get going." He turned away from us.

I shrugged and followed after him, the others following behind me.

We travelled for a while before we had to stop from the heat. We set up a sheet and took shelter under it. As I made lunch for everyone Lloyd came over and sat next to me. He leaned close and whispered so the others wouldn't hear. "Do you think I should tell them about my changes?"

I shook my head. "Wait until we get to the temple. It would be better to do it in a better camp setting in case anyone wants to walk off to think about it."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah. You're right." he leant away slightly. "So, what are you making?"

I laughed. "Just a fruit salad and sandwiches. I will be making cheese pasta for dinner tonight. I have some cheese in my wingpack I want to use."

Lloyd grinned. "Awesome. I _love_ your cheese pasta. The one with the ham?" I nodded and Lloyd grinned wider. "Yes!" he quietly cheered.

I laughed at him and quickly finished lunch. I was very glad that wingpacks preserved food in exactly the state it had been put in it in. So fresh milk could be stored in there forever and not go off. I loved it! It meant I could stock up on food and not have to worry about any of it going off or using bits up in whatever way I could.

After lunch we wanted to lounge around for a while until we had to set off again but Raine had other ideas. Soon Lloyd, Genis and Colette were working on homework assignments and Raine was sitting next to me with a book. "Drake. I want to evaluate your reading level again. Read this chapter out loud."

I sighed and took the book off of her. As I read I noticed I got strange looks from Kratos. I eventually sighed and looked pleadingly at Raine. "Please... Raine, this is embarrassing..."

Raine glared at me. "You'll keep reading. You haven't read a single sentence correctly yet."

I sighed and read more. I was never very good at reading out loud. I stutter and stumble over words often enough without having to read a language I barely know. Learning this language was slightly easier than it would be to learn had I been back on earth since _everything _written down was in this language. I mostly focused on numbers and ignored the words for a while. I hated not being able to count out currency.

Having to read out loud like this, with Kratos giving me that look. It was so humiliating. I felt my eyes fill with unshed tears. What was he thinking? _'How is he going to be useful to us? He can't even read.' _I could feel my breath hitch and I stumbled over the words even worse than before.

Kratos abruptly stood up. "We should get moving."

I sighed and gave Raine the book back before packing with Lloyd and Kratos. Once everything was back in my wingpack we carried on.

I ended up walking beside Kratos again. He looked down at me. He spoke in a gentle voice. Softer than I've heard him speak so far. "You find reading difficult?" That was a nice way of putting it. I cannot read.

I blushed heavily and felt my eyes prickle again. "I only actually learnt the letters and numbers two years ago."

Kratos hummed. "You are doing well for someone so handicapped." I tried very hard not to cry.

I fell back slightly and ended up walking next to Raine. She glanced at me. "You did very poorly. You have been neglecting your studies since you left school. You will need to work hard to-"

I glared at her. "Raine, I am not one of your students anymore. You cannot force me to participate in school work with the kids. I am _your_ age. You have no right to try and force me to participate in your lessons. Leave it."

I stalked forward to walk with Lloyd at the front. Lloyd placed a hand on the small of my back and I took a shuddering breath before sighing and blinking back the tears of humiliation.

I heard Raine spluttering behind me. "What?"

Kratos sighed. "He is likely feeling embarrassed that you forced him to read out loud in front of me."

"More like _completely humiliated_!" I called back.

Raine sighed and we all descended into silence. The next pack of monsters that came across us didn't last more than a few moments considering I blew them all up.

Literally.

There were bits of them everywhere.

Lloyd sighed and picked a bit of scorpion out of my hair. "And _that_ is why we do not upset Drake. He tends to blow things up when he's angry."

We trudged on for a while before making camp. We had to set it up before it became dark enough that we couldn't see.

Raine looked at Kratos. "Kratos."

He looked at her from where he was unrolling his bedroll. "What is it?"

"Why did you take on the job of guarding Colette?"

Kratos rolled his eyes and huffed. "Humph. I am a mercenary. That's how we earn money to live."

Raine frowned. "In other words, it's just another job?"

Kratos nodded. "That's correct."

Raine tilted her head. "That's really all?"

"Yes." Raine shook her head and went to unpack her own bedroll.

I made dinner and ate in silence, not joining in with the conversations and slipping to bed as soon as I could.

Raine came over and sat next to me. "Drake? I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to embarrass you like that."

I sighed and rolled over, looking up at her. "Raine... you have no idea how humiliating it is not being able to read. And then being forced to read out loud in front of Kratos like that?" I shook my head and wiped the tears off my face. "I tried to ask you not to make me but you didn't listen."

Raine sighed. "I'm sorry. I seem to be ignoring you a lot lately."

I sniffled and looked up at her. "Why do you keep hurting me?" I muttered quietly and rolled over, turning my back on her. She sighed and gently gripped my shoulder before going over to the others. They stayed up for a while before they each went to bed.

I lay with my back to the group for a moment before I heard someone stand up. "Can you take first watch?" Lloyd asked.

"Yes. I will wake you in a few hours."

Lloyd walked over and slid into my sleeping bag. He held me against his chest and I drifted off to sleep. I woke briefly when he moved to take his turn on watch but went back to sleep. I woke early in the morning as I usually do and channelled some mana into my necklace for a while before getting up and ready for the day.

I made a quick and easy breakfast and soon the others were awake and we were ready to set off. We had to get up before dawn so we could get some distance before the sun came up and it got too hot to walk. By noon Genis was practically dead on his feet. He looked up at me. "How are you not hot?"

I looked down at him. "I'm used to working in heat like this. You're usually in the school house or somewhere in the shade but I'm usually in the training grounds. I am hot, I'm just better at dealing with it. It's also in part because I'm an adult, your body get's better at regulating its temperature as you get older." Although my body couldn't...

Genis sighed and looked down. "Again with the whole 'when you're older' thing?"

I laughed and ruffled his hair. "Some things you really can only do when you're older. Don't be in a hurry to grow up."

Genis sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I know. I'm only a kid once but that doesn't change the fact that I'm too young for a lot of things."

I nodded and gently gripped his shoulder. "Don't worry. It'll pass before you know it."

Not long later we stopped and set up camp. I made sandwiches again and everyone except Kratos and Lloyd had a nap. I woke before the others only because Lloyd kicked me. I glared at him but sighed. I usually take a long time to wake up. I am honestly surprised I wake so early in the mornings. It's usually about four o'clock.

I stored some more mana in my necklace and Kratos looked at me funny. "What are you doing?"

I smiled gently. "Well, you know I told you I don't have mana, but can control the mana in the air around me, right?" he nodded. "Well, I can only use what mana is there in the first place. I can't use a water spell if there is no water mana, for example. I solve that by storing mana in crystals. Each one of these eight corresponds with an element. I just charge them up and I can use the mana later." I pulled the necklace out and showed it to him.

He nodded and went back to cleaning his sword. I glanced up. Speaking of swords. "Monsters. Not far that way, heading in this direction. Lloyd?" Lloyd nodded and we stood up. "Stay here, Kratos. We'll be right back."

Lloyd and I rushed off and easily dispatched the few monsters that had been approaching us. We went back and settled down. I began cleaning my blades while Lloyd did some whittling. Once the worst of the heat had faded we woke up the others and headed out.

A few hours later we set up camp for dinner. I light the firewood by flicking a fireball at it.

Kratos looked at me. "You didn't need to cast for that. You flicked your finger and it appeared."

I nodded. "Yeah."

Lloyd grinned. "Drake is a Mana Master."

I huffed. "Lloyd..."

He slung his arm around my shoulders. "Come on, Drake. You know you're the only person in the world who can do what you can. You can control mana. You're a Master of Mana."

I blushed. "Lloyd... It's not really a skill... it was just a genetic defect. I'm not as good as you make me out to be."

Lloyd laughed. "You really can't take a complement, can you?"

I flushed harder. "You were the first person to give me one." I muttered.

Lloyd sighed and rubbed his cheek against mine. This was something we do. There was nothing romantic in it, though it certainly looked like it if the look Kratos just gave us was anything to go by. I pulled away from Lloyd, my face rivalling his shirt in colour, and set to cooking dinner. Raine watched me and tried to intervene at some points but I waved her off, telling her to watch and learn.

I made a simple stir fry since I had a lot of vegetables in my wingpack. Thank god I was over my fear of being burned. Accidentally setting yourself on fire (repeatedly) tended to do wonders for pyrophobia.

As we walked the following morning I was up front with Kratos, Genis and Colette behind us and Raine and Lloyd at the back. Raine hummed.

Lloyd looked at her. "What's wrong professor? You look troubled."

Raine looked down at her feet. "I'm questioning why a lot of researchers mix pure science and magitechnology."

Lloyd blinked in confusion. "Huh?"

Raine continued as if she hadn't already lost him. "The power of magic that is at the root of magitechnology has never been proved by science. But still they-"

"Professor."

"Yes?"

"Aren't you going to question why you're talking to someone who has no clue as to what you're talking about?"

Raine turned her head and looked at him. "Lloyd!"

Lloyd leant back slightly. "Wh-what?"

"That's a very good question. I'm basically straightening out my thoughts regarding the question by talking to someone."

Lloyd sighed and looked defeated. "So you're just gonna keep on talking aren't you?"

I laughed and called back. "Lloyd, a man only learns in two ways. By reading and by association with smarter people. Since you won't read, that means Raine must teach you, so listen."

Lloyd grumbled but listened as Raine talked. Kratos sighed and I looked up at him. He was probably thinking something along the lines of '_why is my son such an idiot?_'

We settled down for the night and Kratos and Lloyd walked away a little bit to train. I sat and read for a little while before going over and joining them. Raine mostly sat with Genis and Colette to go over their schoolwork with them. Kratos made Lloyd and I spar while he watched and made mental notes.

When we finished he walked over to us. "You both need to work on your footwork. You rely too heavily on your attacks and blocking when evading would have been easier and used less energy."

We nodded and I closed my eyes in thought for a moment before grinning. "Alright Lloyd, I'm gonna teach you how to dance." I stepped closer to him. "Take my hand, and place your other one at my waist."

Lloyd blinked and did as I had told him. We waltzed for a while, tripping over each other's feet and stepping each other's toes but we had fun at any rate. We even convinced Kratos to waltz with Raine and Colette and Genis joined in too. Eventually we all (except Kratos) collapsed into our bedrolls (Lloyd in mine with me for some reason) and laughed.

Lloyd grinned at me. "Where did you learn that dance? It's not something I've seen before."

I smirked. Harry Potter and the goblet of fire (book and movie) and Final Fantasy Crystal Bearers, but I wasn't about to tell them that. "Just around and about."

Lloyd huffed and pulled me closer. "Fine, don't tell me." we lay like that for a while until I was almost asleep. Lloyd slipped out of my bed and went to sit on watch with Kratos. I yawned and curled up, falling asleep.

I woke up before dawn and stretched out, slipping out of my bedroll. I stored a bit of darkness mana but I wouldn't really need it. I cannot actually remember any light based enemies other than Luna and Aska and the seal guardian. The monsters in the tower of mana were all darkness for some reason.

I read until the others started waking up and made breakfast for everyone. Once we had all eaten we headed off.

Lloyd sighed. "I am seriously tired of this desert."

Kratos looked down at him. "Well then, do you want to head back to the village?"

Lloyd scowled at him. "How am I supposed to do that?" he frowned and looked away. "I was banished..."

Kratos glared slightly down at him. "Then stop talking as if you are on vacation."

Lloyd winced. "Sorry."

We got to the temple by noon. I looked it and grunted. Wow that was a lot of mana.

It was hotter here than anywhere else in the desert. We decided to rest for a little while before heading in as there would definitely be monsters in there and we wanted to be well rested before trying.

I glanced at Lloyd and he met my eyes. I nodded slightly and he sighed. "Guys, I need to tell you something."

The others sat around us and I gently gripped Lloyd's shoulder in support. Raine frowned. "What's wrong, Lloyd?"

Lloyd took a deep breath. "Well... about a year and a half ago... I started... um..." I squeezed his shoulder. "Changing."

Raine sighed and smiled. "That's called puberty, Lloyd."

Lloyd blushed heavily and glared at her. "Not _that_ kind of changing!" he sighed and shook his head, looking back down at his lap. "I stopped getting hungry. I stopped getting tired too. I can't sleep anymore and I can barely feel pain. My hearing and eyesight are much better than anyone else... I don't know what's happening... at first I thought it was my imagination. I thought... I thought that if I ignored it then it would stop but it didn't. It got worse as time passed."

Raine, Genis and Colette looked confused and slightly hurt. Kratos was very pale. His visible eye had widened and he was staring in shock and horror at Lloyd, though he was doing a good job at hiding it, even if only because he was behind the others and Lloyd was busy staring at his feet.

Lloyd took a shaky breath. "Sorry." He abruptly stood up and ran off around the side of the temple.

Raine sighed and stared at me, still slightly shocked. "Did you know about this?"

I nodded. "We've lived together for the past two years. I found out by accident about a year ago. He made me promise not to tell you guys. He was worried that you would abandon him if you found out. He was scared. He still is, really." I took a shuddering breath. "We're all keeping secrets. Some worse than others. You can't really be mad at him for not telling you when you three are keeping huge secrets from him too." I shook my head.

Raine sighed. "You're right. We can't be mad at him for not telling us. We won't hate him for this though. We'll find out what's happening and sort it out."

I shook my head. "It's not that simple."

Raine looked at me. "What do you mean?"

I shook my head again. "I'm going to find Lloyd." I stood up and walked off in the direction he had gone, following his mana signature to the... beach? What do you call the edge of a desert that leads to the sea? *mental shrug* "Lloyd?"

He turned around. "Hey Drake. How are they taking it?"

I stepped up next to him. "We all have our own secrets, Lloyd. It would be stupid of them to be mad at you for keeping this a secret when they are keeping their own. They don't hate you. They would never hate you. Never. I told you that when I found out."

Lloyd nodded. "Yeah. I guess I was overreacting."

I shook my head. "No, it was completely understandable. Let's give them some time to discuss it and head back, okay?"

Lloyd nodded and I leant against him. He wrapped his arm around my waist and we stood, watching the waves. Occasionally a bird would dive into the water to catch a fish. I sighed and rested my head on his shoulder. "We should head back." He nodded silently and we went back to camp.

When we got there Genis was making some food. It was a bit late for lunch but we hadn't eaten yet and I supposed it gave Genis something to do. They all looked up at us as we came over and sat back down on the fallen pillar we had been on before. Genis looked back over the pot of food. "Can you still eat?" he muttered.

Lloyd sighed. "Yeah, but I don't need to. I prefer to keep eating though. To try and remind myself I'm still..." he trailed off and sighed. "Well... I suppose I'm not really human anymore am I?"

That caused a long silence before I slapped Lloyd over the back of the head. Hard. "You are Lloyd. That's all that matters. _What_ you are has nothing to do with anything."

Lloyd blinked a few times at me before he smiled. "Yeah. You're right. Sorry. I've been overreacting. Again."

I nodded. "Yes, you have. Now, Genis, what's for lunch?" we chatted for a bit over lunch. Raine kept asking Lloyd questions about his changes and with every minute Kratos got paler and paler. I gathered up half of the dirty dishes. "Hey Kratos, help me with the dishes?" I walked away.

Kratos gathered the rest of them without a word and followed me to the sea. We knelt on a rock and leant over to wash the plates and pots. I looked sideways at him. "You know what's happening to Lloyd." It wasn't a question and I made sure it came out that way.

Kratos swallowed hard and nodded. "Yes."

I nodded. "He's turning into an angel, isn't he?"

Kratos nodded again. "How did you figure it out?"

I sighed. "His mana is very similar to yours. And not only because he's turning into an angel. Kratos, your mana is similar to Lloyd's in the same way that Frank's is to Colette's. You're his father, aren't you?" I whispered the last part, to minimise the chances of Lloyd hearing us. Kratos froze and stared at me. I shook my head. "Not my secret to tell. I won't say a word."

He relaxed again. "Yes, I am." He sighed. "He doesn't need me."

I shook my head. "I think he does. I won't force you to say anything but I'm giving you my opinion on it. Lloyd misses you. He can remember some things about you. You used to look up at the stars together didn't you? He still does. Astronomy is his best subject. His favourite colour is the same shade of red as your hair and eyes."

Kratos shook his head. "He has Dirk, and Frank, Phaidra and Raine. He doesn't need me."

I sighed. "He needs you more than you think."

Kratos didn't comment. We finished the dishes in silence and just as we were about to stand up Kratos put a hand on my shoulder. "You are twenty two correct?"

"Yup."

"Lloyd is eighteen. You are too old for him."

I blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"Stay off my son." Kratos picked up his half of the dishes and walked off. I gaped after him for a moment before letting out a short laugh and following.

I kicked him lightly in the shin to get his attention. "You won't be his dad, you have no right to tell him who he can and cannot date. But for the record? Lloyd and I are not a couple."

We walked back into camp and packed everything up. We still had plenty of time in the day so we walked up to the entrance of the temple. Cue Fire Elemental monsters. They were _hard_ to beat. Kratos sighed. "This is going to be a nuisance."

Lloyd looked over at Kratos. "What is?"

Kratos looked up. I don't think me meant to say that out loud. "Ah, nothing. Anyway, it would be a good idea for you to learn techniques to protect yourself."

Colette tilted her head. "Are you talking about self defence training?"

Kratos nodded. "Something like that. I'll show you how it's done. Once you grasp the theory, the rest should be easy."

Lloyd sighed. "Do we have to? How long will it take?"

I looked between him and Kratos. "Well, since there might be more of those things in there, not to mention the Seal Guardian, it would be best if we knew some techniques to defend ourselves with."

Kratos nodded for a moment before looking at me. "Seal Guardian?"

I nodded. "It's only speculation on my part but I'm pretty sure that the seal will have some kind of guardian, something a lot stronger than the rest of the monsters in the temple that would prove a challenge for the chosen."

Lloyd nodded. "Right. Okay, Kratos, what can you teach us?"

As soon as he started I figured I wouldn't be able to do it. I ended up off to the side trying to figure out how to emulate it. In the end I huffed and used wind and water mana to create a sphere around me. I was only able to keep it up for a short time, even less when I got Lloyd to attack it, but I was honestly surprised I got it to exist in the first place.

I ended up really dizzy since the best way to keep it up was to spin on the spot. Dizzy...

While the others were learning their own techs I walked up to the Oracle Stone. I blinked in shock. "Lapidem Oraculo." It was written in the Roman alphabet so I was able to read it. Roman is the alphabet English (and most other languages) is written in. "Electus, et pone manum tuam super istud signum ignis descendret. Ut partem sigilli custos, et reducite. Benedicat tibi diva fili mana genus." I turned to look at Raine who was staring at me in shock. "What does that mean?"

Raine walked over. "Let me get this straight. You can't read _Hume_ but you can read _Angelic_ just fine?!"

I blinked. "That's Angelic? Huh... well, you learn something new every day." I shrugged. "So what does it say?"

Raine raised an eyebrow. "Don't you know? You can read it fine." She actually looked pretty upset with me.

I sighed. "There is a difference between being able to read the letters and knowing what they mean. It sounds like another language I know of. I've never learned it though. Just heard of it."

Raine nodded. "Well, let me see. 'Oracle stone. Chosen one, place your hand upon this stone and descend into the seal of fire. Confront the Guardian and release the Seal. The goddess bless you, child of the mana lineage.' Seems you were right, there is a guardian." (AN: translation of this phrase into Latin is thanks to Google translate. Not all words or sentence structure is correct)

I nodded. "Makes sense." Just then Kratos walked over with the kids. I smirked at Lloyd. "You done?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I don't really get it, but I already feel stronger. I can't wait to try it out."

Genis looked to the sky and shrugged. "I think you're just imagining things."

Raine looked around. "What happened to Noishe?"

Lloyd sighed and looked around. "You're right. He ran off again."

Kratos nodded. "He's probably nervous about the monsters. I think it would be best not to count on Noishe in places with monsters around."

I nodded. "He's somewhere in that direction." I pointed off towards the sea. "His mana is easy to tell from anything else."

Kratos nodded. "At any rate, we should head in. I would rather not waste the whole day."

Colette walked up to the oracle stone. "Say, is this the seal? It has my family crest on it."

By this point Raine had finished being slightly shocked over me being able to read angelic and was now spazing over the door. "Fantastic!" we all looked at her in shock. "Look at this slab covering the entrance! It's clearly of a different composition than the surrounding stone!" she dropped to her knees to examine it. She then started laughing. "It's just as I thought!" she then started petting the stone. "This is polycarbonate, developed during the Kharlan War to defend against magic! Oh feel the smooth surface. It's wondrous!"

I blinked. Polycarbonate? Plastic?! I bent down and examined the door. I barely stopped myself from rolling on the ground with laughter. It was plastic. Honest to goddess, plastic. Industrial strength, yes, but plastic none the less.

I stood up and shook my head. Kratos looked at Genis. "Is she always like this?" Aww... Kratos has the most _adorable_ confused face.

Raine ran over and examined the oracle stone properly. Lloyd looked at Genis. "Is she?"

Genis sighed. "And I was trying so hard to hide it too."

Raine looked over at Colette. "Colette, place your hand here. That should reveal the entrance."

Colette blinked. "Really?"

Raine nodded. "This stone is enhanced with magic designed to identify the chosen. There's no question about it."

Colette stepped forwards and placed her hand on the stone. The door slid open, revealing a staircase going down, into the darkness. Colette's eye widened. "It opened! Wow! I guess I'm really the chosen after all!"

Genis looked up. "Yes, I think we all know that already."

Lloyd grinned. "Okay! Now it's getting exciting! Let's hurry up and go inside!"

Kratos looked at him. "I hope you'll be able to maintain that enthusiasm."

I laughed quietly. "He'll be bored long before we get there."

We all walked down into the depths. I lit part of the staircase so we could see. When we got to the bottom I looked around. There was a path to the left and right and a doorway in front of us. I looked around. "Which way, do you think?" Raine and Kratos debated it for a moment.

We eventually decided to go straight forward. Looking around I noticed a torch in a bracket. I wasn't the only one. Lloyd walked over to it. "Hey look. It's a torch."

Raine hummed. "There was once a city here that was destroyed by Efreet's hellfire. Try lighting it with fire."

I looked at her. "What else would we light it with? Water?" Raine looked at me. "Sorry."

Lloyd glanced at me for a moment before shooting a fireball at the torch. It lit up and a platform moved. Lloyd grinned. "Wow. The floor moved!"

Raine's eyes sparkled. "Interesting. This location must be connected with Efreet."

I looked at her. "Oh, you don't say? I never would have thought the temple of fire would have a connection to the summon spirit of fire."

Raine looked at me. "Why are you like this?"

I huffed. "Sorry, I get testy when I'm hot. Just stop pointing out the obvious. Now, we need to find more of these to open the path. Lloyd, you go that way, I'll go this way. Meet back here."

Lloyd nodded and ran off to the right, walking up the wall as he did so. I jumped and flew off to the left. Within minutes we had found all of the torches and I had found a few items of interest (to Raine) and put them in my wingpack. (I was probably going to forget about them but I could bring them out at the right moment later)

When we got back Lloyd arrived first and jumped down. I flew over and Lloyd's eyes bugged. "You can FLY?! Since when?!"

I giggled nervously. "Umm... A few months after I moved in with you... I probably should have mentioned that, huh?"

Lloyd nodded. "Yes."

Kratos blinked out of his shock. "Lloyd... you can walk up walls?"

Lloyd nodded. "And ceilings. I guess I should have mentioned that."

Raine nodded. "How do you do it?"

Genis sighed. "I'll tell you later. Let's just go to the seal."

I nodded. "Yeah. I saw the warp point. It's just up here." I pointed to the staircase in front of us. We headed up and stood in front of the warp.

Lloyd looked around. "Is everyone ready?" We nodded. "Then let's do this." He stepped on the warp and vanished.

For some reason I feel like this chapter failed. Most of it was filler, skits and conversations. Next chapter, the seal guardian! *sarcastic cheer* action yeah! So easy to write! *end sarcastic cheer*

Please tell me what you thought of this chapter, reviews let me know how each chapter has done. Seriously... 7 reviews... 7... in total... none of them by the same person...

*cries* why don't you love me!

See ya next month!


	8. Chapter 8

RANDOM SKIT!

_This scene is something I had to cut out of the story but didn't want to cut out completely so I give it to you here. It has no place in the actual story._

We walked down the stairs into the temple of fire. It was even hotter down here than it was out in the desert. Ugh. heat. As we walked down people slowly began stripping off layers. Lloyd and Kratos were both down to their undershirts (who knew Kratos wore a purple undershirt?) and Raine had taken off her coat and was now in a white shirt. All the desert cloaks and jackets ended up in my wingpack.

Lloyd groaned. "Ugh... it's so hot..."

I mock glared at him. "Oh, man up you son of a-"

"DRAKE!" *smack*

"Blacksmith... ow..." I rubbed the back of my head from where Raine had hit me with her staff. "But he _is_ the son of a blacksmith! He lives in a _forge_. He should be _used_ to heat!"

Raine blinked at me for a moment before shaking her head and sighing.

Lloyd tipped his head in my direction. "Drake, why aren't you taking your coat off?"

I looked at him. "Do you remember that red thing I was wearing when we first met?"

"Yeah, so?"

"When Kratos stabbed me he destroyed my last shirt so all I'm wearing under this cloak is that."

Lloyd blushed and shut up.

_Sorry, anyway. Back to the story!_

_Ugh... fight scene... I apologise in advance._

* * *

The seal room was not what I was expecting. I guess I was remembering it wrong or picturing something from Dawn of the New World since this bland, empty room with the altar at the other end, was actually a _huge_ disappointment. Not to mention anticlimactic and unfitting of the Summon Spirit of Fire. I was expecting lava waterfalls at places across the walls or something.

The mana was heavy though. Almost unbearable. I walked forwards with the others. Raine stopped half way down the room to look around. "This place is also built with magitechnology! Absolutely fantastic!" She bent over to look at the floor.

I stood next to her and hummed quietly, speaking so only she (And Lloyd and Kratos) could hear. "To be honest... I was expecting something more... impressive. And dramatic. With more fire. and maybe some magma... this is supposed to be a shrine dedicated to worshiping Efreet."

Raine hummed and stood up and we jogged slightly to catch up with the others. We were almost to the altar when there was a bright light and I felt the mana shift. Genis jerked back. "Ah! What the-?"

There was a small explosion of fire mana welling up above the altar. I suddenly found it almost impossible to breathe. The others jumped back and I bent over to try and catch my breath. Black spots danced in front of my eyes and I felt dizzy. There was way too much mana in the air right now.

Kratos shouted "Be careful!"

The mana suddenly converged on one place and I felt the pressure receded a little bit, though I was still unbelievably dizzy and struggling to breathe. There was a thud and I looked up to be face to face with Ktugach.

Ah shit.

I rolled to the side as she slammed her paw onto the ground I had been on seconds before. I stood up and my vision swam. I dropped to the ground and sucked in a slow breath through my teeth. Damn I was dizzy. Stupid mana.

I felt something very hot and very solid slam into my side and I rolled across the ground coming to a stop at the other end of the room near where Raine had settled to cover us.

I felt more mana pouring onto my side where the skin was prickling and burning. The overwhelming amount of mana now present was difficult to cope with. I grabbed a hold of my necklace and pushed my mana into it. The more mana I stored the easier it was to breathe. Soon, I was able to stand up and ran back into the fray. Genis was throwing aqua edges at one Ktugachling but didn't have the casting time to use a more powerful spell. Colette was going toe to toe with the other one. Lloyd and Kratos were both trying to attack Ktugach but she was proving to be a handful, they could barely get a hit in before she turned to them.

I ran to help Genis first. I was vaguely aware of Raine casting from behind me and as I ran forward Genis ran back to stand by his sister. I leapt to one side as the Ktugachling lunged at me and spun on the spot, jumping after her. I leapt into the air as she started to turn and managed to stab her in the back of the neck. I was lucky and managed to get my blade in between two of the vertebrae. She dissolved into pure mana.

What happened next was one of those times where a thousand thoughts run through your head in a fraction of a second and you make a decision to do something you wouldn't have normally done.

_When we fight other monsters they don't disappear. I'd been putting the wolves, rabbits and hawks into my wingpack. We could sell the wolf and rabbit skins and the rabbit and hawk could be cooked, though I admit I have never tried to eat wolf._

_Why did these dissolved into mana? They were a magical construct, not a living creature._

_Perhaps they had been made out of Efreet's mana. It would explain why the summon spirits didn't break their pact with Mithos right away. If I were them I would have broken the pact and attacked the fucker._

_If it was made of mana it would dissolve once it was killed, like it was doing._

_If it was made of Efreet's mana then it would take him a while to recover, allowing Mithos to control the mana flow for longer before he needs to do something to keep the spirits under control._

_If I stored the mana and gave it back to Efreet would he recover faster? Maybe._

On a split second impulse I pulled the mana into the diamond on my necklace. I don't know why I stored it in the diamond as the garnet was the one I stored fire mana into.

Ktugach, Lloyd and Kratos were in the middle of the room so I flew up and across the room to get to the Ktugachling on the other side of the room. Colette was trying to fend it off while Lloyd and Kratos took on Ktugach. I dropped down and finished this one off the same way I did his sister. He didn't see me coming. Again I pulled the mana into the diamond.

I threw my tanto at Ktugach and she turned to me, absolutely furious. She dove at me but I jumped out of the way, spinning on my heel and slashing at her with my katana. She leapt back and swiped at me but was thrown off by three swords slashing her from behind. As she turned around to bite Kratos and Lloyd I blasted her in the side with a ball of water.

She turned back and glared at me only to get an icicle to the face courtesy of Genis followed by a chakram to the eye from Colette. Before she had a chance to do anything else she got a cross thrust to the neck from Lloyd and Kratos.

As soon as she dissolved into mana I pulled her mana into the diamond on my necklace. I still don't understand why I did it but a guess I must have had a reason. I had forgotten what it was as soon as I pulled the first kitten into the diamond. I say kitten since, to me, Ktugach looked like a sabre tooth liger (lion-tiger hybrid).

We all stood panting for a moment, hardly daring to believe it was that easy. We all relaxed when nothing happened for several seconds. I sighed. "That was... surprisingly easy."

Raine huffed. "Drake, hold still while I heal those burns." I looked at my hand and realised I had a few burns on it as well and my clothes being singed on that side.

I nodded and let her heal me.

Kratos looked appraisingly at me. "You struggle to take out a human opponent but you managed to take out two of those in very little time."

I nodded. "Well, I find it easier to fight monsters. Humanoid opponents are more difficult but I still fight them. I just find it hard to kill them if I don't really have to. Besides, I caught the second on off guard, he didn't know I was there."

Kratos sighed.

Lloyd looked me over. "Are you alright? You were kind of off at the start there."

I nodded. "Yeah. Too much mana in the air. It's making me dizzy. I just need a minute... or to get out of this room. Anyway, Colette? It's up to you now."

Colette smiled at me and stepped up to the altar. It hissed violently and we all drew our weapons ready for whatever was coming now. Clouds of steam rose from the sides like the vents of a pressure cooker. The entire flat surface of the thing started glowing and in a burst of steam a bright red ball of pure fire mana glowed above it for a moment before dissipating.

I frowned. That can't have been Efreet... even weakened by Cruxis' actions for the past four thousand years he still wouldn't be that weak. The mana dissipated into the air and a light shone from the ceiling.

Remiel's voice reverberated through the air. "You, the chosen of regeneration. Offer your prayers at the altar."

Colette held her hands in front of her chest. "Yes my lord..." She walked up and stood right in front of the altar, close enough to touch it. "Oh goddess Martel, great protector and nurturer of the earth, grant me thy strength."

The altar lit up. I saw a brief glance of gold chains holding something still for a second before I had to close my eyes. sometimes, seeing mana was painful.

I risked a glance and saw a gold sphere of light came down and burst in a flash. In its place was Remiel, in all his 'glory'. "Chosen one, Colette. You have done well."

Colette smiled up at him, her hands still clasped in front of her. "Thank you, my lord." I stepped up next to her and placed my hand on the small of her back. She glanced at me but since I was staring at Remiel she did the same. She seemed to relax though.

"The guardian of this seal has fallen and the first seal has been released. Efreet will surely awaken soon. In the name of Cruxis I shall grant you the power of the angels."

Colette smiled hesitantly up at him. "Thank you my lord."

Four balls of light shot down from the ceiling. They all hit Colette and flowed into her Cruxis crystal but to my eyes I saw some mana flow around the room and into Lloyd and Kratos. That's strange... why Kratos? I glanced at Lloyd and noticed him frown at his Exsphere before he shook his head and looked back up at Colette.

There was a bright flash of light and we all gasped as a pair of beautiful pink wings spread out of Colette's back.

Since my hand was on her back at the time I felt them. They felt like thick water or a thick kind of gas. My hand went right through them. I withdrew my hand quickly and placed it on Colette's hip instead. I didn't know if she could feel her wings and if she did it would definitely be strange.

I felt Colette start to drift upwards and gently held her down. She at least deserves to start trying to fly when she is ready to.

Remiel looked haughtily down at us. "The angel transformation will not be without pain. Yet it is but for one night. Be strong and endure."

Colette took a deep breath. "I humble accept this trial."

Remiel nodded. "The next seal lies far to the east, across the sea. Offer your prayers at that altar."

Colette nodded. "Yes lord Remiel."

Remiel encased himself in light and shot up through the ceiling. "I shall await you at the next seal, the chosen of regeneration."

I sensed his mana disappear and turned to face Colette, my hand still on her hip. Colette smiled at me. "Thank you Drake. Why did you hold me down?"

I smiled and withdrew my hand. "I thought you deserved to try and fly for the first time on your own, instead of right after the ritual." I stepped backwards to give Colette a bit more space to examine her new wings.

Lloyd grinned. "Colette... has wings!"

Colette turned around. "Uh-huh, and look. I can put them away too." Colette closed her eyes and her mana flowed back into her, her wings disappeared as well. I took another step back and chuckled.

Genis jumped and fist pumped. "Oh, wow! That's so cool!" He grinned at Colette.

Colette smiled at him, "Here, look, look!" she took her wings back out again and started fluttering them. Genis started jumping.

Lloyd, Kratos, Raine and I all sweat dropped and I smiled at the two of them. So innocent. Lloyd grinned. "He said the next place is across the sea! That means we get to sail on a ship! Haha! I can't wait!"

Raine frowned. "A ship... hmm... I wonder if there are any ships sailing with the way things are right now..."

Kratos nodded. "We should head to the coast to see what he can find."

I nodded and walked towards Kratos. "It's strange though..."

Raine tilted her head. "What is?"

I blinked at looked at her. "Well, that ball of mana that was on the altar before Remiel arrived... it was really weak. No way that was a summon spirit. Or, not a healthy one."

"You're right." We all turned around at the voice. The Wonder Chef was standing by the warp into the room. I gasped quietly and hid behind Kratos. Kratos frowned and looked the man over. Clearly he remembered him from Triet or they had met before. the chef walked over. "That was Efreet but he was only at a fraction of his power." he looked me right in the eye. "And you know how to help him." he pointed his fork at me and I cowered further behind Kratos.

I had no idea what it was about this man but he scared the shit out of me. I tentatively reached up and grasped my necklace. At his smirk I knew what it was.

He lifted his fork again and the ball of light appeared again. I took a deep breath and pushed the mana from Ktugach and her kittens into the ball of light. It flashed and Efreet stood in its place. He looked down at me, said, "Thank you." and disappeared again.

When we turned around the Wonder Chef was gone. I sighed and Kratos turned to look at me. "You can stop hiding behind me now."

The other's looked at me in concern. I sighed and stood straight. "Can we leave now?"

Lloyd stepped up to me. "Drake... Who was that? Why were you scared of him?"

I sighed. "It's a long and complicated story that even _I_ don't know _half_ of. Can we just leave? Please?"

The others nodded and we left the altar, and then the temple. As we walked I noticed Colette flush red before she went very pale and her lips started to turn blue. Just as we got out of the temple she collapsed onto her hands and knees on the sand.

What surprised me was when Lloyd dropped to one knee as well, his skin the same colour as Genis' instead of his usual tan. Genis gasped. "Lloyd! Colette!"

Lloyd tried to push himself to his feet and Colette smiled slightly, thought it looks strained. "I'm fine." Her voice was slightly hoarse.

Genis frowned. "You don't look fine. You're both completely white!"

Raine frowned. "Your lips are turning purple. We must get you to a doctor in the city immediately."

"No!" Kratos almost shouted. He pulled himself together. "It's best not to move them. Remember the angel's words. The angel transformation process requires her to overcome a trial, and Lloyd and seems to be experiencing the same thing. Rather than taking them to a doctor, it would be best to let them rest here."

Colette frowned. "I'm... okay... I'll be fine after a little rest. I'm sorry to cause so much trouble."

I shook my head. "Stop apologising all the time Colette. You can't help it."

Colette sighed. "You're right... I'm sorry."

I placed knelt down and put a hand on Colette's forehead and winced at the burning temperature. My eyes widened as I remembered the last time I felt someone with a fever like this. I looked up at Raine. "Raine, why don't you and Genis go and set up camp, get everything ready?" I passed her my bag with the wingpack and all of our belongings.

Raine looked like she was going to protest but I shot a pointed glance at Genis and then looked worriedly at Lloyd and Colette. Raine sighed and nodded. "Alright. Come on Genis."

Once the two of them left Kratos looked at me. "Why did you send them away?"

I sighed. "Wait for it. Lloyd, Colette, can you two lie down for me?" They looked at me strangely for a moment but complied. I took their weapons off them and sat on the floor. "Wait for it..." almost immediately after I said it Lloyd and Colette both seemed to seize up. Their backs arched and they shook violently.

Kratos gasped.

I looked at him. "Febrile Convolutions. A seizure. It's normal when someone's temperature spikes suddenly." I pulled out a cloth and wiped at Lloyd's mouth as it started frothing, passing Kratos a cloth to do the same with Colette.

"Watch out for flailing arms." Just as I said that Lloyd smacked me in the face. "Like that. Oww..." I sat back and rubbed the spot, sure it would bruise. I used my healing technique and felt the skin itch.

Kratos looked at me, clearly panicking. "How long does this last?"

I shrugged. "It depends on lots of things. If it lasts more than five minutes or there's no sign of fever, then we should be worried. This is fine so far. Look, their coming out of it." And they were. "Be prepared, they aren't going to know where they are or what's going on, they won't have much strength and will want to just go to sleep. We should take them to camp. Can you carry Lloyd? He's too heavy for me."

Kratos nodded and stood up, walking around to where Lloyd was while I walked over to Colette. We scooped the two fledglings up and carried them back to camp. We set them down on their sleeping bags, which Raine had put close enough to the fire to warm them but far enough away to be safe. I put Colette down on her sleeping bag and waved Raine over.

I spoke to her and Kratos. "We need to cool them down so can you two strip them down as much as you can?" Kratos stripped Lloyd down to his boxers while Raine left Colette's vest shirt on. Both of them were incredibly drowsy and Lloyd was trying to bat back at Kratos. Colette was just letting Raine do what she would and didn't seem aware of her surroundings.

I searched in our bags but I couldn't find anything that could help. Earth medicine was much more advanced. Rain cast some healing artes at them both. It seemed to help a bit. I looked over at our healer. "Raine, see if you can wake Colette up, get her to respond."

Despite the healer's best efforts Colette remained unresponsive. "That's okay. I was expecting that. Hers is a more severe case than Lloyd's." Within minutes Lloyd had come back around completely though he was still a bit sluggish. His fever had gone down completely and he sat up, leaning against Kratos, who sat behind him. Genis gave him a bowl off tofu curry on my gesture and Lloyd sat quietly, eating slowly.

After a few more minutes Colette came around enough for Raine to get some water into her. She fell asleep again and I gestured Raine to leave her to sleep. "It's best to let her rest for now. Lloyd too, once he's eaten."

Raine looked at me. "Doesn't Colette need to eat?"

I shook my head. "When Lloyd first started going through the angel transformation he lost the ability to eat completely. He would throw up everything he had just eaten. It took a while for it to settle down so he could eat again. It might be best to let Colette try food when she's more awake so if she throws up she won't choke."

Raine nodded. "So, Drake. how do you know what this is? How do you know what to do?"

I sighed. "I used to look after children while their parents were at work. A childminder. One of my charges used to have seizures like this frequently. His mum eventually quit work so she could stay home with him but I got used to dealing with these. I knew it was going to happen from the fever. It came on too suddenly."

Kratos nodded. "That explains it. I'm still curious who that man from the chamber was. You hid behind me when you've been avoiding getting too close to me since the renegade base."

I blushed slightly. "Sorry. I hadn't realised I was avoiding you." I looked down at the ground and bit my lip. "That man attacked me in Triet. I don't know what it is about him but he terrifies me. There's just something about him that makes me want to run and hide." I shook my head and stood up. "I'm going for a walk. Clear my head. I'll be back soon." The other's nodded and I walked off to the sea side. I sat on a log and watched the waves for a moment.

"You really have no idea do you?"

I shrieked and leapt off the log, falling onto the floor as I turned around to stare at the Wonder Chef. He was leaning on a tree and looking down at me. I sighed and looked at the floor. "No. I don't know how I got here. I don't know what I'm doing to the time line. I firmly believe that you can't break time."

"But you can _cheat_ it. That's what you've been doing. You haven't made any big changes. You've made little ones that have a big effect later on."

I grimaced and closed my eyes briefly before opening them again. I didn't feel comfortable in this guy's presence. "I'm sorry. I've been here two years and it was a while since I played the game based on this world. I can't remember most of the details. And I only completed it twice."

The Wonder Chef sighed and sat on the log. I cowered at his feet and he frowned down at me. "You're that afraid of me?" I nodded and curled into a foetal position at his feet. He sighed again. He then explained about the multiverse. There were an infinite number of worlds in existence. Some were connected, others weren't. Some had a closer connexion than others and some only had a connexion for a short time before the connexion broke again.

There were worlds, like Earth, that had connexions to thousands of different worlds. Each connexion depended on how strongly the other world influenced mine. Every game, every book, every movie. They were all other worlds. Some, like star wars and Harry Potter, had very strong connexions while others which had less attention and were less known, had a weaker connexion. Tales games had a strong connexion because they were a genre on their own, like Studio Ghibli films. They held onto each other's connexions to strengthen their own.

Each world had a kind of vale over each end of the connexion. Usually it was impossible to cross into each world but occasionally someone, a Jumper, was born with the ability to travel between worlds. The Wonder Chef was one. He can't remember what world he was born into and he assumes a new identity in each one he goes to so he can't remember his real name.

He was also immortal. A side affect of being a Jumper.

Other times, a slight tear appeared in the vale covering the connexion. It was in no physical place so two people can disappear from different places in the world. Usually these tears go unnoticed but sometimes someone fell into them and wound up in another world.

I was lucky I had ended up in a world I knew something about. Those Desians would have killed me if I hadn't known anything.

The Wonder Chef looked down at me (I was still on the floor). "I can help you get back home. Since I'm a Jumper I can open the vale to your world. I can't send you there myself, you'll need Origin for that, but I can open the way."

I looked up at him through my hair. "Thanks..." I whispered.

He sighed and stood up. "But my help won't come cheap. And you need to repay me for the damage you've caused." His hand lunged forwards and just as he grabbed the front of my shirt I heard Kratos shout my name. My world exploded in a puff of smoke and when it cleared we were in the seal room again. The chef sneered down at me. "Since you seem intent on moving things faster than they should, you can help me free Efreet. Permanently."

I swallowed. "How?" I whispered.

He smirked. "Oh, you just hold still." He grabbed a hold of my head by my hair. "And try not to die."

Pain.

Pain was one of the few things I could register. There were images of a temple. Stone. Fire. Magma. Heat. They all flashed before my eyes and I got an overwhelming sense of earth and fire mana. It went on for what felt like days but could have been only hours or minutes. It was hard to tell.

It felt like I was there for ages before finally The Wonderchef let me go and I fell to the floor, gasping for breath. When I opened my eyes I saw the chamber had changed. We were now on a platform stretching most of the way across the room. There was a path leading from a door to a rounded area near an altar of some kind. There were red and orange gems shaped like flames rising placed at regular intervals along the edge of the walkway and the circle area. The altar looked impressive, though not as impressive as the summon spirit hovering just above it.

I gulped. "Efreet..."

Efreet glared down at us. "I hardly think you need to be so rough with the boy, Wonderchef. He did give me back the powers that Mithos took from me. He could have just let Ktugach and the Ktugachlings dissolve like everyone else had."

The Wonderchef scoffed. "He shouldn't be here in the first place."

Efreet huffed. He looked directly at me. "Thank you for all of your help. Now that my temple is back the way it was before Cruxis got their hands on it I am free from Mithos' control. I have already broken my pact with him. I can now go back to doing my duty as a summon spirit."

I smiled hesitantly. "You're welcome." Efreet nodded and dissolved into pure mana before disappearing. I looked back towards the Wonderchef. He sneered and disappeared in a puff of smoke. I lay on the floor for a moment before a creature came up to me. It looked like a Ktugachling but with four legs and slightly more canine in nature. It bower its front legs down and indicated to its back. I weakly pulled myself onto its back and it carried me out of the temple.

Just outside of the new front door I saw Kratos. The creature dropped me at Kratos' feet and disappeared into pure mana. I smiled. "Thanks Efreet."

Kratos looked at me. "That was Efreet?"

I shook my head. "One of his constructs. He made it to help me out of the temple."

Kratos nodded and scooped me up. "I've been meaning to ask. Why does everyone think you are male?"

I sighed and relaxed into his arms. "I prefer it that way. Lloyd knows, we live together, but the others don't. Please, don't tell them."

He nodded. "You keep my secret and I'll keep yours."

I sighed. "Thank you."

We soon got to camp and Kratos sat me on my sleeping bag. Raine rushed over and looked me over, asking me a thousand questions. I sighed. "No, Raine. I didn't know what he was going to do. I still don't know exactly what he did. He used me as some kind of medium to change the temple but I don't know how or why. It hurt like hell and I just really want to go to sleep right now. We can talk in the morning."

Raine cast another healing spell and nodded. I curled up in my bag and saw Genis do the same in his. Lloyd waved tiredly from his sleeping bag and I could hear Colette snoring softly. I was asleep in minutes.

* * *

i am not happy with this chapter.

i'm sorry.

anyway, please leave a review and if you want me to update faster then vote on the poll on my profile, The Power of Shadows has been added and the number of votes has been increased to two.

see you next month.


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